PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Providence Public School District students, parents, and advocates gathered in front of the city hall on Monday to urge Mayor Smiley to accept the $10.9 million funding request for the district. Students and parents expressed their concern about the potential cuts that could be made if the district does not receive the requested amount from the city. “The city has a legal obligation to fund our schools and the reality is that it has not paid its fair share,” Providence Public School District parent Peter Chung said. Back in October, school superintendent Javier Montanez demanded Smiley provide $10.9 million dollars to the district, claiming there would be cuts made within the district if not. “Kids, families, and schools cannot bear the burden of any additional cuts to the 2024-2025 school year,” Chung said. Mayor Smiley responded to the ultimatum and said he’s committed to giving an extra $1 million to the district under two conditions. He said that the state, who owns the district, needs to contributes $3 million, and that the district needs to accept an outside financial audit. “You wonder why we are not doing well? Why we are not performing well,” Providence Career and Technical Academy student Nya Isom-Agazie said. “It’s because we don’t care, it’s because we are not showing enough attention to the students. It starts with the students and it ends with the students.” Former students spoke at the rally, claiming there hasn’t been much change over the years. “When I was in Central High School there was literal mold in our school. Half of the school had to be shut down because there was mold and nothing was done about it,” Young Voices Program Coordinator Juan Soriano said. “They just kind of let it go away.” Weeks after the initial ultimatum, there’s still no agreement made, even after the city council proposed an increase of $2.5 million to the district. Smiley said the city is now in court with the Rhode Island Department of Education. “We are now in the phase, unfortunately because there’s been an erosion of trust where we are trading letters back and forth,” Smiley said. “There has been communications back and forth but we have not sat down at the table.” The superintendent was not able to share much because of ongoing litigation, but said he’ll keep fighting for his students. “I can’t say much but what we need in order to function, basically, is the $10.9 million,” Providence Public Schools’ Superintendent Javier Montanez said. Categories: News, Providence