Before beginning a conversation about what a fair and effective funding formula looks like for Rhode Island’s students and educators, it may be helpful to review a set of slides, available here in English and here in Spanish, that offer a high-level look at how our state's education funding formula works.
 

What is the purpose of this conversation? 
To collect input on what makes a fair and effective funding formula. 
 

When is the right time of day or day of the week for this conversation? Should the conversation be in-person or virtual?
This is up to your schedule and what you think might work best for your guests. 
 

What information do my guests need so that they can participate?
This is about logistics. Location, date and time, transportation, a virtual meeting room login, and any background information from this toolkit that you’d like to provide ahead of time.  
 

How will we capture recommendations to submit?
Take good notes during your conversation, and then upload your ideas to the submission form. Or, open the submission form during your meeting and type your responses right into it. The form is available here in English and here in Spanish. 
 

What will the follow-up be for the people who attend? 
Consider sharing the draft responses with the group that you convene before submitting your ideas. 
 

Welcome 
The host welcomes everyone to the conversation and shares the purpose of meeting, and what guests should anticipate doing while they are together.
  

Introductions 
Ask your guests to be as present for the conversation as possible. If appropriate, provide an opportunity for guests to briefly introduce themselves.
 

Conversation agreements 
Setting conversation agreements is important for equitable dialogue. Hosts can provide them beforehand and ask for guest feedback, or the group can develop a set of agreements when they are together. Here are some examples: Leave your stripes at the door. Show respect and reserve judgment. Be curious and listen to understand. Be authentic. Note areas of agreement and disagreement.  
 

Conversation prompts 
After the host opens the conversation, consider walking through the prompts and questions included in the next section of this toolkit. 
 

Closing 
Thank everyone for joining and note next steps for participants.

Feel free to use the conversation prompts that follow to guide your discussion. 

• Share your favorite memory from grade school.
• In recalling your school experience, did you have all the resources and supports while in school that you needed to succeed? If not, what was missing?
• What do you think it means for students to get a good education?
• How do you know when students are getting a good education?
• Do you think schools are being sufficiently funded now in Rhode Island?
• What is working, and what isn’t working?
• In your opinion how should state and local government share the cost of public education?
• In your opinion what would it look like for students living in poverty, multilingual learners, and students with special needs to be served well by Rhode Island’s public schools?
• How should state and local government share the costs associated with school transportation, and school buildings?
• When thinking about school funding, how should the state and local government plan for unexpected costs associated with short-term and longer-term changes in community needs (such as changes in enrollment)?
• How should dollars flow to public charter schools? How should dollars flow to public career and technical education programs?  

Take good notes during your conversation, and then upload your ideas to the submission form. Or, open the submission form during your meeting and type your responses right into it. The form is available here in English and here in Spanish.