PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Community organizations will gather this morning in front of Providence City Hall to demand additional public school funding. The group said that they represent families of students including Parents Leading for Educational Equity, The Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education, and the Providence Student Union. Just last week, Providence City Council said they’ve come up with $2.5 million in ARPA funding in the city’s budget that could go toward the $10.9 million deficit the school department is currently facing. Yesterday, the city council also requested an independent audit of the school district to figure out how the deficit was reached. Less than a month ago, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has informed ABC6 that the superintendent of the Providence Public School District called him with a 24 hour ultimatum of providing the district an extra $10.9 million. Categories: News