New RI education formula is a go, Chafee will say

The Projo’s front-page speculation today about the newly minted Chafee Administration delaying the new K-12 education funding formula is curious. Especially bizarre were the anxiety-laden quotes from the self-styled education reformers, especially Education Commissioner Deborah Gist. “I think it is critically important that the state distribute aid equitably,’’ Gist is quoted as saying.

Well, Gist is the state’s education chief and why is she speculating (on the front page no less) about what Governor Chafee is going to recommend? Is it any wonder that the Chafee inside crowd isn’t going to trust Gist if she is going to make such willy-nilly comments? Every governor needs team players in his cabinet and one might think Gist would have withheld media comment until she had some inkling of what she was talking about. Talk about a bureaucrat would could use some decent political advice.

Just so everyone knows, sources close to the governor say that he IS going to recommend Tueday in his budget address putting the new formula into effect, so now the ball is in the General Assembly’s court. There may be some rough edges to sand down, such as what to do with the big money losers in the new formula (especially the Bristol-Warren district) and other details, but the Chafee people have been saying privately for more than a week now that the new formula is not on the chopping block. The formula will be a help to Providence as the city confronts a deep reservoir of red ink.