The Future of Newport Schools & Regionalization

Guest: Lynne Tungett, Publisher & Editor, Newport This Week 1. The Status of Thompson Middle School (TMS) The Background: Broad community and administrative discussions have surrounded the structural and academic future of Thompson Middle School. The 5th-Grade Pivot: The Newport School Committee recently reversed a controversial January decision to move 5th graders back to Pell Elementary School. The reversal keeps the 5th grade at Thompson for the 2026–2027 academic year, highlightening deep structural, enrollment, and behavioral debates over how to utilize the district's footprints. The Long-Term Capital Question: Rhode Island School Building Authority officials have previously noted that while significant TMS renovations occurred roughly 20 years ago, a completely new middle school will eventually be needed. 2. The Tie-In to Newport-Middletown Regionalization The Failed 2022 Merger: In November 2022, Middletown voters overwhelmingly approved a unified school district proposal, but the measure failed because Newport voters rejected it by a narrow margin of roughly 400 votes. The Cost of Disunity: Had regionalization passed, the state's School Building Authority would have reimbursed up to 80% of construction costs for a new middle school. Without a unified district, Newport faces a steep financial climb for future capital improvements while bearing the independent bond burden of the new Rogers High School project. Stalled Progress in 2026: Despite the formation of a joint advisory commission (the AIAC) earlier this year to restart conversations, the committee has sat dormant and missed critical formatting deadlines. Both Newport and Middletown are currently moving forward with independent school budgets for the upcoming year, making a regionalization question on the November 2026 ballot highly unlikely. Leadership Limbo: The lack of structural clarity on regionalization continues to impact day-to-day operations, including Newport's decision to hire an interim superintendent rather than a permanent replacement ahead of Supt. Colleen Burns Jermain's retirement in June. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.