Cotter fights for Chariho
Two of the bills address transportation costs and two
address state aid for regional districts.
“Regionalization creates an economy of scale and allows
schools to offer greater opportunities to students than they would have if
their towns’ schools were separate and smaller. In theory, regionalization is
encouraged by the state because it’s economical, but in practice,
regionalization is complicated, and the funding mechanisms don’t address all
its wrinkles. My bills are aimed at smoothing some wrinkles that are currently
adversely affecting our regional districts,” said Representative Cotter (D-Dist.
39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton), whose district spans parts of the Exeter-West
Greenwich and Chariho regional school districts.
Transportation costs are a major cost driver for regional school districts. Each of the two regional districts Representative Cotter represents transports students across an area of more than 100 square miles.
One of her bills (2026-H 7681) would ensure that transportation categorical
funds between the state and regional school districts would be fully funded by
the state. Current state law provides that out-of-district transportation to
nonpublic schools is supposed to be fully covered by the state, and the state
is supposed to split the costs of in-district transportation with regional
districts, but the state provides less when the costs exceed the funding
appropriated.
Another bill (2026-H 7682) corrects another issue with the statewide
out-of-district transportation system, which districts must in order to qualify
for state reimbursement for out-of-district transportation. The bill would
enable reimbursement when districts can use their own buses or vendors at a
lower cost than the state system. The bill would result in savings for the
state.
To address the realities of funding challenges facing
regional districts, Representative Cotter is sponsoring legislation (2026-H 7318) to increase from 2% to 6% the bonus in state
funding that regionalized districts receive. In testimony for the bill before
the House Finance Committee, Representative Cotter described the proposal as
“modest but meaningful.”
“As enrollment declines, many school districts are looking
at regionalization. It’s one of the most effective tools we have to maintain
educational quality while also controlling costs. This incentive will help
districts collaborate instead of competing for shrinking resources,” she said.
Her final bill (2026-H 8476) would restore a $331,000 state education aid
cut to Richmond that was included in the governor’s 2027 budget proposal. The
amount is not much in the context of a $14 billion state budget, but for a
small town like Richmond, it could result in a property tax increase that
exceeds the 4% cap imposed by the state, Representative Cotter said.
All four bills, along with another bill (2026-H 7582) Representative Cotter is sponsoring to require
inspections and evaluations of the indoor air quality of school buildings, were
heard before the House Finance Committee April 28.
