Chafee budget ups education spending

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - One day after unveiling his first budget proposal , Gov. Lincoln Chafee hit the road trying to sell a major part of his proposal - an increase in education funding.

Chafee has proposed the state fully fund Rhode Island's new school funding formula - which would base state education aid on a district's student population and the community's poverty level.

The governor, accompanied by Education Commissioner Deborah Gist, toured several school Wednesday to discuss the plan.

• Interactive: Chafee budget proposal at a glance
• The governor's proposed budget for 2012

The two visited Paul Cuffee Charter School in Providence on Wednesday morning, followed with a visit Westerly High School to tour the school's new science wing.

Chafee and Gist spoke with parents and teachers at both schools.

Chafee's budget proposal calls for $1.1 billion in funding for grades K-12 education for the coming school year.

"Our future depends on good schools, I firmly believe that." said Chafee. "This is just a first step in a long-term commitment to our schools."

Gist says Rhode Island was the only state in the country without a funding formula.

"We have two districts right next to each other in Rhode Island," says Gist, "in the current way that funding is distributed they're very similar in size, almost identical, similar community backgrounds except that one has higher poverty. And the district with the lower poverty currently gets twice as much state aid...so our distribution of funding for schools was really inconsistent, not equitable."

Chafee's budget also includes a $10 million increase for higher education spending.

Governor Chafee's budget must be approved by the General Assembly.