District overview
Newport Public Schools
A district working out of a deficit, changing superintendent, and rethinking where children go to school
Why is Newport repaying its own school budget?
Newport Public Schools is funded by an appropriation from the City of Newport plus Rhode Island state education aid. What makes this year unusual is what happened to the district's savings. On July 1, 2023 the fund balance stood at $6.5 million. Over the following two years it was spent on the Rogers High School building project, on classroom investments, on covering two years of operating deficits, and on a middle school rooftop unit and security vestibule. By spring 2026 the district was in deficit. The plan the committee approved in May asks the city for a $1.5 million transfer, repays $700,000 at $233,333 a year from 2027 to 2029, and formally notifies the state Auditor General. That repayment now sits on top of three future school budgets.
Savings spent, then a deficit
A $6.5 million fund balance in July 2023 went on buildings, classroom investments and two years of deficits, leaving nothing to absorb the next shortfall.
A mid-year freeze, then cuts
In April 2026 the committee froze all non-essential spending, then voted 4-3 not to renew an attendance officer, a restorative justice coordinator, two student engagement facilitators and an HR assistant.
A divided seven-member committee
Many of the year's decisions were 4-3 or 5-2. The Grade 5 move passed 5-2 in January and was reversed in April; the deficit plan passed 5-2; the interim superintendent was appointed 6-1.
New leadership at the top and at the high school
Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain retired after twelve and a half years; Dr. Peter Sanchioni was appointed interim in June 2026, and Rogers High School was being run by an acting principal.
None of this says the schools themselves are failing. Over the same year the committee approved a career and technical education pilot at the middle school, Chromebooks for the high school, a new high school programme of studies, and recognised an automotive class that built and raced an electric car. The pressure documented here is financial and organisational.
Where the district stands
Spent down over two years on the high school building project, classroom investments, two years of deficits and two Thompson Middle School projects.
Against $700,000 of deficit, alongside a requested $1.5 million transfer from the City of Newport.
Student engagement facilitators at Pell and Thompson, the attendance officer, the restorative justice coordinator and an HR and business assistant, on a 4-3 vote.
The four without minutes are a meeting-calendar notice and three meetings whose minutes had not been filed when this record was collected.
Major projects
Deficit recovery
plan approved; repayment begins FY2027Newport is repaying a school deficit over three years while running a spending freeze and cutting support posts.
- Committee discusses a forecast budget gap and plans an October workshop
- All non-essential spending frozen for the rest of the year
- Four support posts not renewed, 4-3, for fiscal concerns
- Deficit reduction plan approved 5-2; state Auditor General to be notified
- FY2027 budget and teacher recalls both postponed; staffing and financial services audit awarded
Funding
A requested $1.5 million fund balance transfer from the City of Newport, plus $233,333 a year taken out of the school budget in FY2027, FY2028 and FY2029
Where Grade 5 goes
reversed; Grade 5 stays at Thompson Middle SchoolA year-long argument about whether fifth-graders belong in an elementary or a middle school, decided one way and then the other.
- Remediation plan approved and a working group set up to plan the move by December
- Committee votes 5-2 to move Grade 5 to Pell, with a May cost and implementation report required
- Decision reversed; Grade 5 stays at Thompson Middle School for 2026-2027
Funding
No separate funding line; tied to Thompson Middle School remediation work and Pell staffing
Leadership transition
interim in place; permanent searches openThe district changed superintendent and was recruiting a high school principal at the same time, with a possible regionalisation vote in the background.
- Committee approves issuing a superintendent search request for proposals
- Consultant services request for proposals issued for the search
- Interim post to be advertised for two weeks; a possible regionalisation vote is referenced
- Rogers High School principal vacancy to be posted for three weeks
- Dr. Peter Sanchioni appointed interim superintendent, 6-1
- Dr. Colleen Burns Jermain recognised on retirement after twelve and a half years
Funding
Within the operating budget; a superintendent search consultant was procured by request for proposals
School start times and bus routes
proposed; workshop scheduledThe district says start times must change in 2026-2027 so it can run fewer buses, but has not said what the new times will be.
- Superintendent says time changes will be required; committee votes 6-1 to hold a public workshop
Funding
Driven by transport costs within the operating budget; a state-commissioned consultant study informs it
Recent news
Built from every Newport School Committee meeting notice, agenda and minutes filed with the Rhode Island Secretary of State's Open Meetings system between September 9, 2025 and August 27, 2026 - the statutory record under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-46 - together with the National Center for Education Statistics for district identity and enrolment.
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