Rep. Amore receives Paul Crowley Award from Rhode Island School Superintendents’ Association

State House – Rep. Gregg Amore (D-Dist. 65, East Providence) has been honored by the Rhode Island School Superintendents’ Association (RISSA) with the 2021 Paul Crowley Award. Representative Amore was presented with the award on March 15 by East Providence School Superintendent Kathryn Crowley, RISSA President Karen Tarasevich, Superintendent of the West Warwick Public Schools, and Thomas DiPaola, Ph.D., RISSA Executive Director.

“Representative Crowley’s tireless commitment to public education is well known in Rhode Island, and it is an incredible honor to receive this award in his name,” said Representative Amore. “It has been my distinct privilege to serve Rhode Island schools, and especially our educators and students. RISSA has been and continues to be a valuable partner in this work, and I’m grateful to the RI Superintendents for this recognition.”

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), House Education Committee Chairman Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston), and Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angelica Infante Green spoke at the event.
The award is given each year by the Association to a Rhode Island citizen or organization who, in his or her professional and personal capacity, has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to improving the quality of education for the children of Rhode Island. The award is named after the late Rep. Paul Crowley of Newport, who was dedicated to educational issues throughout his career as a state representative.

During the 2020 legislative session, Representative Amore sponsored legislation which creates a new income tax bracket of 6.99% on taxable income over $500,000. Any tax collected on this income would be deposited into restricted receipt account and expended on education for grades kindergarten through twelfth grade.

In 2019, Chairman Amore was the sponsor of major public education reform law that increased building-level management of schools. He also was a cosponsor of a new law that will protect student loan borrowers and establish oversight of student loan servicers operating in Rhode Island.

He played a key role in the passage of the FY 2019 budget article containing historic school construction bond assistance. He sponsored the bill placing the East Providence High School construction project on the ballot, and following voter approval, the state is now providing up to 70% reimbursement for the state-of-the-art facility.

Representative Amore also played a pivotal role in the budget article that created the Rhode Island Promise Program, ensuring the opportunity for two tuition free years at the Community College of RI for every Rhode Island high school graduate.