<[link removed]> Dear Friends and Neighbors, Happy Holidays! Abby and I celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa. So belated Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Years! Over 30 of us gathered for my first community meeting. I want to thank every single person who took time out of their Sunday evening to join us. I know Sunday isn’t the most convenient time to meet, but it was held in response to the state and the city’s battle over the current budget crisis. A small amount of personal news! I’m officially enrolled in my online courses at Harvard in pursuit to receive a master’s in public administration! This newsletter will include a recap of our community meeting, my stance on raising taxes, upcoming events and deadlines, and some of my thoughts on the upcoming legislative session. Student-Focused Governance Elevating and empowering youth voices is at the heart of my vision for improving our schools. The Department of Education research shows that when students are actively engaged, they perform better academically, attend more regularly, and are less likely to drop out. That’s why I’m working to partner closely with youth organizations to organize community meetings where young people are not just heard, but actively involved in reviewing and shaping the policies that impact their education. By working together—adults, educators, families, and community—we can create a school system with engaged students and families. Community Meeting Recap (Zoom AI Summary) Corey discussed the new Hybrid School Board, which was created through a charter change in 2022. The board consists of 10 members—5 elected and 5 appointed. The appointed terms will be staggered, with one serving a one-year term, two serving two-year terms, and two serving three-year terms. The deadline for individuals to apply for the appointed positions is December 13th. Corey also explained the Crawley Act, which gives the Commissioner and the State the power to take over a school district if it’s underperforming. He expressed his opposition to state takeovers, believing they don’t work and that proper funding and collaboration could achieve the same results without a takeover. He also highlighted a funding crisis and the state’s demand for the city to come up with $11.9 million or face cuts, including the elimination of winter and spring sports and the removal of bus passes. Corey discussed the ongoing dispute between the State and the City over funding for public schools. He explained that the State argued the City had increased its spending by $88 million over the last five years, with only 9% going into Providence School District (PPSD) schools. Corey also mentioned that the State takeover led to 2,000 students moving from traditional public schools to charter schools, contributing to the increased expenditure. The State and the City have been in court for several years over the funding amount, with the State recently winning an agreement of $147 million from the City to the school district. The City agreed to pay $15 million immediately. Corey emphasized the need for community conversations about how the City raises taxes and the potential for alternative funding sources—such as an endowment tax bill on Brown University introduced by David Morales—or a mansion tax. He also stressed the importance of working with the General Assembly to change the funding formula. After talking with staff in the Mayor’s office it was brought to my attention that numbers that I presented that was sourced by PPSD was wrong. These numbers were disputed in court. While I received this information from a public source, I still take responsibility and would like to apologize for not double checking the numbers. In my presentation I recreated the graph that was presented by PPSD because it was skewed (in efforts to make the spending of other departments look larger.) This type of behavior is deeply problematic. Skewing graphs and presenting false information is extremely unethical. The Upcoming Legislative Session This legislative session, I’ll be advocating for our General Assembly to pass an education funding formula that increases per-pupil dollars for special education, multilingual learners, and the poverty indicator metric. Providence has the highest percentage of these priority populations in the state, and this adjustment would create a funding formula on par with Massachusetts. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do and would level the playing field for our students and families. Representative David Morales previously introduced a 2% tax on Brown University’s Endowment Fund. This bill would enable the City to choose what percentage, if any, to tax on Brown’s $7.2 billion endowment fund. This could generate over $50 million for district schools. The Mayor has said he’ll not only have to increase taxes, but also exceed the 4% levy limit. If Providence is to increase the levy beyond the limit, I’ll advocate that it’s done in a way that protects the working class. Abby and I certainly don’t like the idea of taxes going up after we’ve just become homeowners. At the same time, we are dedicated to our students and families and know that some cannot afford a tax increase. However we raise taxes, we need to avoid placing the burden on the working class. I look forward to continuing the conversation about how we can address our district’s budget. Even as things stand, our students still need so much more. Upcoming Events & Deadlines I’m looking forward to connecting with you and listening to your thoughts at upcoming community events: PLEASE SHARE: City of Providence Return to Local Control Survey -- Survey Closes 12/31 Link: [link removed] <[link removed]> A donation now of $5, $10, or $25 will help pay for refreshments and snacks at our next community meeting, my website, and will allow me to conduct polls and host in-person community meetings. It’ll also position me to be prepared for re-election and spend time serving the students and families instead of fundraising. Donate <[link removed]> Thank you for your continued support and trust. It is truly an honor to serve this community that I know and love. Once I’ve booked a venue, I look forward to announcing an in-person community meeting! Sincerely, Corey Jones School Board Member-Elect, Region 1 Paid For By Friends of Corey Jones, Abigial McDonough, Treasurer 95 Evergreen St. Providence, RI 02906 Providence, RI 02906 United States Powered by Squarespace <[link removed]> Unsubscribe <[link removed]> <[link removed]>