Smiley says city, Providence schools have come to agreement on funding

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said that the city and Providence Public Schools have reached an “agreement in principal” for funding the school district.

The agreement came after a court hearing as well as a ruling from a judge that said the city must increase funding for schools.

Smiley said the details of the agreement cannot yet be made public but will be when “specific terms are available.”

He added that the goal of the agreement is not to put a burden on the city’s taxpayers, and that a mid-year tax increase has been avoided, but an overall increase is “still possible.”

Cuts may also still be utilized, but where and how is still unknown.

Superintendent Javier Montañez previosuly said the state had given over $30 million to Providence, while the city only gave $5.5 million to the district year alone.

In October, he gave the city a 24-hour ultimatum of providing the district an additional $10.9 million with a warning of “dire cuts” being made without the money.