Statement from Chairman Joe Powers on Education Funding and Political Posturing

Warwick, RI - Chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, Joe Powers, released the following statement in response to the ongoing discussion surrounding federal education funds and the upcoming press conference hosted by Rep. Seth Magaziner, Mayor Brett Smiley, and Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green:

“It’s my understanding that the administration is reviewing how these funds are being used to support students and our schools. That’s a reasonable step. But let’s not pretend this is just about process. These funds were appropriated by Congress with a clear intent—to improve education. And given the state of public education in Rhode Island, we should all be demanding transparency and results.

I see that Congressman Magaziner, Mayor Smiley, and Commissioner Infante-Green are holding a press conference on this topic. No doubt it will include the usual political theater-complete with blame-shifting toward the Trump administration. They’ll say children are at risk. But let’s be honest: children are at risk—and they’ve been suffering for years under a broken education system that continues to fail them academically.

This is not a future threat. It’s a present-day crisis. Rhode Island students are falling behind in reading, writing, and math. That’s not rhetoric—it’s reality.

Instead of using this issue to score political points, our leaders should be laser-focused on making sure these funds are used for their intended purpose: to get our schools back to basics and our students back on track.”