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The numbers and location being thrown around are clearly focused on building a new high school for half of our city's high school population - while the two high school building needs are very comparable. East Providence's new high school being constructed now is estimated at $190 million for a capacity of 1600 students. So the estimate being thrown around by leadership is what - a high school at around 1400-1500 capacity? Or does the city and school leadership honestly believe a 3000+ capacity high school will cost $180 million? (many that's why we have constant financial misinformation?) Or do they have no intention of a city wide high school - only a replacement for one of our two crumbling high schools and are being disingenuous?

We need an equitable/affordable solution for all students - and one half of the city will never sit back and finance the other half while their own children continue to suffer with substandard buildings - nor would they ever vote for any leader that would go along with this proposal. Don't forget the SMMA assessment and the RIDE Schoolhouse assessments estimated IMMEDIATE needs to bring buildings up to SATISFACTORY conditions were over $150 million almost five years ago - Pilgrim and Toll Gate had very similar needs - and Toll Gate was just slammed in their accreditation on the lack of althetic fields on campus (as TG and Winman parents have to leave work daily to drive their children to their "home" fields at the air quality monitored airport and the unsealed former dump. One of the options from SMMA was to build one new high school for the city - and it was immediately dismissed by school leadership as being so financially impossible, it should not even be discussed. Many disagreed and felt it should be explored - five years ago and millions later. I am extremely disappointed in the vagueness of these discussions, if leadership wants real solutions, they need to be honest about their intentions - two new high schools or one "super high school" would cost much more - in the range of $300-400 million by the time its done. Let's be open about the district wide needs, principled around equity, and honest about costs and affordability. I am not at all opposed to building one city wide or two high schools, but only within the context of all our city needs and a long range financial plan. And most importantly, with a #1 guiding principle of EQUITY across our city and for all our children.