Portsmouth High Wants More Money?
May 14, 2007

Portsmouth High School has sent Little Compton a letter seeking additional money ($100K)... BECAUSE THEY BLEW THEIR OWN BUDGET!  Their problems are self-imposed through poor fiscal management and careless spending.  They didn't even send their first bill to Little Compton until March!  Was this incompetence or were they trying to make themselves look cash-poor in their Caruolo Act lawsuit against their own town?

The high school agreement between Little Compton and Portsmouth was signed December 2001 and remains in effect until June 2012.  The wording of the agreement is shown below.

It is pretty hard to see where Portsmouth has any valid claim for additional funds from Little Compton.  The Little Compton School Committee conducted an executive session with the school attorney at its meeting (May 9, 2007) to determine what action will be taken regarding the Portsmouth demand.  Little has been said as to the outcome of that meeting, but it should have been an easy one to conduct because the answer is obvious: tell Portsmouth to shove it!
 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN
LITTLE COMPTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND
PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Commencing with the 2002-2003 school year, Portsmouth High School is hereby designated as the "high school of record" for students residing in the Town of Little Compton.

For the 2002-2003 school year, the Town of Little Compton will pay tuition for students attending Portsmouth High School at a net annual cost of $6500.00 per student. Subsequent annual tuition cost will be determined in advance during the month of March by the Portsmouth School Committee and will not increase more than a true three (3%) percent of the then existing tuition.

If a development in either community occurs which would affect this Agreement, said community will immediately notify the other of the nature of the development and its possible effect on the Agreement.

One (1) year notice is necessary to change this relationship, and then mutual consent of both parties is necessary. It is understood and agreed that in the event of a future change regarding the school of record, Little Compton students already enrolled will at their option be allowed to remain at Portsmouth High School until they graduate.

This Agreement will commence with September 1, 2002, or the initial day of school, whichever is first, and be in effect until June 30, 2012, or the last day of school, whichever is later, unless mutually amended by both parties.

ADDENDUM TO
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN
LITTLE COMPTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND
PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Definitions and further agreements:

1. Little Compton School Department agrees to provide their own transportation to and from Little Compton at their expense.

2. Little Compton School Department agrees to bill quarterly on a running student census. If a student attends any portion of a quarter, Little Compton will be billed for the entire quarter.

3. The methodology used to establish the tuition rate will be maintained throughout the life of this agreement unless events of an extraordinary nature, as referred to in Paragraph 3, occur.