NewsRI mayoral academies receive more than $1M in grants2:26 PM Mon, Nov 23, 2009 PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island Mayoral Academies, an umbrella organization that launched a charter school in Cumberland this fall, has received three grants that will help the organization to grow. The Hassenfeld Foundation donated a $200,000 matching grant earlier this year, requiring the Rhode Island Mayoral Academies to seek a donation of the same size by the end of the year. The Rhode Island Foundation has pledged $100,000 and the organization is still looking for another $100,000 donation. In addition, the Walton Family Foundation has given the organization $1 million over the next two years. Cumberland Mayor Daniel J. McKee, chairman of the board of RIMA, said the organization will use the money to develop new charter schools throughout Rhode Island. The first mayoral academy, Democracy Prep Blackstone Valley, opened in September, serving 76 kindergarteners from Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln and Pawtucket. Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung recently expressed interest in opening a mayoral academy in his city. Charter schools -- including mayoral academies -- are taxpayer-financed public schools that are free from many of the rules and restrictions that govern regular public schools. Ten of Rhode Island's 13 charter schools employ non-union teachers and many of the schools have longer school days and require students to wear uniforms. Democracy Prep Blackstone Valley differs from the state's 12 other charter schools in three ways: it is run by a charter school operator, in this case, New York-based Democracy Prep; its board includes mayors and town administrators; and it is not required to pay its teachers union salaries, contribute to the state teacher pension system or offer teacher tenure.
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