RI giving out millions to cities and towns for 'learning centers.' Here's how they would use it.

More than two dozen Rhode Island cities and towns are planning how to spend millions in federal dollars under education initiatives aimed at pushing the state to meet Massachusetts' education levels by 2030. Documents that The Providence Journal obtained through a public-records request show what exactly municipalities want to buy.

Earlier this year, the state received more than $81 million in federal funding allocated to community learning centers. Gov. Dan McKee has called on municipalities to develop these centers to increase the number of hours that kids spend learning each day. The plan, dubbed Learn365RI, is intended to expand out-of-school learning to a year-round activity. That would boost learning time without lengthening the school year.

But the centers are also required to have two other components – workforce development and health. Each city or town asking for funding must explain in their application how they would address those categories, including education.

While not all cities and towns have yet received money from the pot of federal dollars – which the state says requires them to commit to McKee's learning plan – the following have drawn up proposals for how to use their share. The list below is by no means exhaustive but sheds light on some of what applicants plan to do.

Barrington

Barrington is seeking $691,000 for its Bay Spring Community Center, where it envisions hosting job fairs, job-skills training and computer workstations with high-speed internet. It would also host health clinics for shots and dental appointments, and other services, such as mental-health awareness courses.

Bristol

Bristol wants $120,000 to improve its Rogers Free Library community facility. It already offers some educational opportunities, like private study spaces and workforce development, but it is hoping to expand.

One addition would be a "maker space," which Bristol's funding application describes as "a dedicated workshop ... used free of charge, allowing artists, artisans and others to use space to create things they may not have the space or resources for."

The town said it could also be used for "hands-on technical education for students."

Bristol also applied for $1.3 million to go toward a $6-million transformation of the old Walley School building on High Street. The town wants to turn it into a community resource and senior center but hasn't yet submitted further details.

Burrillville

Burrillville is requesting $1.1 million for a community center that would cost nearly $8.4 million. It would offer a lengthy list of services, including job-search help, job training and digital-literacy courses. Through partnerships with police and a local library, it would host other educational opportunities, such as scam-awareness sessions and research advice. With assistance from the Fire Department, the center would also offer wellness checks including blood pressure monitoring.

Central Falls

Central Falls wants roughly $3.5 million toward a $6.3-million conversion of an old church on Broad Street to "El Centro," a community center that would host an array of programming. That includes job fairs, small-business education, meals for periods when schools are out of session, medical assistance, housing support and more.

Charlestown

Charlestown is asking for about $450,000 to assist with a $600,000 expansion of the Cross Mills Public Library. That would entail adding private video conferencing and study spaces, continuing digital-literacy help, potentially offering various trainings such as lifeguarding and first aid. The library may also host vaccination and blood-pressure clinics, and hire a teacher to oversee a homework help program.

Coventry

Coventry is requesting $2.4 million to create a community center in its Town Hall annex. That would include a new computer lab, workforce development services, a career-planning center, dental programs and behavioral health services. To satisfy the state's education requirement for the project, Coventry's application states the center would "promote social, emotional and behavioral health" and hosting a parent-resource center to help families navigate their children's schooling.

Cranston

Cranston is seeking $6 million for a new community center at an undisclosed location that would offer an array of job training for in-demand fields such as teacher assisting and information technology. The center would also provide services for students, such as General Education Diploma, or GED, courses. On health services, the city surveyed residents to find out what they need. The results showed strong demand for mental health services, followed by behavioral health and substance abuse, senior health services and women's health services.

Cumberland

Cumberland wants about $2.2 million to help with $3.7 in renovations to transform an empty building on Mill Street into a community health and outreach center. The site, adjacent to City Hall, would offer laptops, high-speed internet, job training, peer tutoring and other services. To support the town's health, the center may also offer blood pressure checks, cholesterol screening, farmers markets and fitness classes.

East Greenwich

East Greenwich is looking for around $557,000 to help finance a $1.1-million renovation of its Swift Community Center. It may house a computer lab, job training and a variety of courses such as driving, first aid, digital literacy and philosophy. On health, the center would continue and expand on existing programs such as blood-pressure checks, skin-cancer screenings and vaccine clinics.

East Providence

East Providence is planning to renovate its community center with the help of about $3.4 million in federal funds. But that would shave only a small amount off the project's $25-million price tag. The center would offer job fairs, small-business seminars, computer access, various courses including GED classes, mental- and behavioral-health services and fitness and nutrition classes.

Exeter

Exeter is asking for nearly $450,000 to assist with a new work, education and health resource center that would cost a total of $850,000. The exact location was redacted from Exeter's funding application. Similar to other sites, Exeter's center would provide computers and internet access. It might also offer classes on mental-health awareness, babysitting and driver training. Additionally, the center would offer vaccine clinics and monitor diabetes and blood pressure.

Glocester

Glocester wants about $707,000 to renovate two libraries, the Glocester/Manton Library and the Harmony Library. That would add resources such as computer help, digital-literacy education and résumé advice. The town also plans to lend out blood pressure cuffs and host clinics as well as diet and exercise programs.

Hopkinton

Hopkinton is asking for $2.1 million for a community center at Crandall Field that would cost a total of $2.8 million. It would host job training, encourage more women to enter the workforce and work toward reducing local unemployment. (According to the Department of Labor and Training, 86% of people employed in Hopkinton are non-residents.) For students, the center would also offer financial aid advice, reading and math tutoring and a homework club. Like other centers, this one also plans to offer fitness classes and mental health resources.

Lincoln

Lincoln wants to put $1.4 million in federal money toward a new $1.6-million learning center which would be built on Old River Road. It would offer free broadband internet and computers as well as hosting a new incubator program for minority-owned businesses. Other programs include partnerships with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Rhode Island, self-defense classes, behavioral-health and substance-abuse help, and healthy-lifestyle initiatives.

Little Compton

Little Compton is planning to spend $150,000 total on renovating its town community center. It would feature résumé and interview help, job fairs, after-school care, a summer camp program, blood pressure monitoring, first aid training and nutrition advice.

New Shoreham

New Shoreham applied for $300,000 to finance most of a $350,000 investment in the Block Island Community Center. It would offer free broadband, as made possible by a recently-authorized bond issue, along with job placement and skills training. The town said it is "exploring" hosting certification programs for nursing assistants and home healthcare aides. The center would also host tutoring programs, health screenings, fitness classes and nutrition workshops.

Newport

Newport is seeking $1.4 million for an $8-million expansion and renovation of the Florence Gray Center, a community center on York Street. It would offer GED courses, internship and employment help, broadband access, tutoring and homework help, mental health assistance, dental services and more.

North Kingstown

North Kingstown applied for nearly $1.5 million to go toward a new $26-million center for recreation, community activities and emergency shelter. (The exact location was not listed.)

The center would offer classroom space, internet access, résumé workshops, GED services, a computer lab and health monitoring.

North Providence

North Providence applied for $1 million for renovations to a community center on Governor Notte Parkway and $1.6 million for renovations to its annex.

It would host youth and adult education programs, GED preparation, job search help, certification programs for teacher assistants and nursing assistants, career readiness workshops and a variety of health initiatives including mental health support, dental health and primary care.

Pawtucket

Pawtucket is asking for $10 million for a community center, though the location was not shown on the city's application.

It would host job fairs and training, a digital literacy lab, GED courses and adult education, a preschool program and tutoring for school-age children. The center may also offer a community kitchen, nutrition advice and education on tenants' rights to support healthy housing.

Providence

Providence is seeking the largest grant, $16.2 million, to renovate the Davey Lopes Recreation Center, the Joslin Recreation Center and the Elmwood Community Center. Each would have a unique mission, with some services overlapping.

Davey Lopes would take advantage of its pool with swim classes and "general and aquatic-themed workforce development, health and educational programs."

Joslin would offer workforce development that transitions "away from fossil fuels," the city's application read, along with GED preparation, English classes, computer literacy and tutoring. It would also offer behavioral health and substance abuse help, harm reduction services such as Narcan training and more.

The Elmwood center might include small business coaching, culinary training, pathway programs for prospective city employees, college preparation and other services.

South Kingstown

South Kingstown applied for $2.1 million to renovate and expand its Peace Dale Library for use as a community center. That includes career planning, internet access, computers, study space and a variety of health services such as wellness checks and flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

Smithfield

Smithfield is seeking $1.5 million to go toward a nearly $2.9-million renovation of the East Smithfield Neighborhood Center. It would feature adult education and GED preparation, job-placement programs, homework clubs, summer meals, tutoring, mental-health counseling, vaccine clinics and more.

Warwick

Warwick requested about $5.6 million for three learning centers at the Community College of Rhode Island. Those would feature training various career pathways, summer and after school education for high schoolers, vaccine clinics and other services.

Westerly

Westerly applied for about $1.4 million to help finance a new $30-million community center on Tower Street. It would offer training and certification for lifeguards, EMTs, human resources staff and nursing assistants. The center would also host job fairs, courses for various career pathways, mental-health screenings and various clinics, including for immunizations.

Woonsocket

Woonsocket wants $4.5 million for a new community center at Cass Park that would cost a total of $8.1 million. The city is hoping to reduce its unemployment rate with job training, career planning, computer literacy and other programs. The center would also host English classes, GED preparation, adult education and health initiatives such as asthma monitoring, obesity management, lead workshops and more.

With reporting from Journal staff writer Kathy Gregg.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: How RI cities and towns would spend McKee's Learn365RI money