City Council Crushes Charter School Expansion in Providence, Rejects Sale of Vacant School

City Council Crushes Charter School Expansion in Providence, Rejects Sale of Vacant School

The Providence City Council rejected a proposal from Mayor Brett Smiley on Thursday night for the city to lease Carl G. Lauro Elementary School to two charter schools. The proposal for a $1 per year 30-year plus lease to Achievement First Rhode Island, Inc. and Excel Academy Rhode Island failed on a vote of 10 to 4 with one abstention.

The decision leaves hundreds of children in the lurch. Thousands of students are on the waiting list to attend charter schools in Rhode Island. Providence Schools were taken over by the state of Rhode Island after a study by Johns Hopkins University found that the city's schools were among the worst in the United States. RICAS score reported last year shows that scores have not recovered from COVID to the pre-pandemic level. 

Smiley said after the council’s vote, “Following the closure of this building, the City conducted a public, competitive RFP process to ensure this space could be used to meaningfully benefit our community. It is disappointing that the City Council voted against utilizing this vacant building for two public schools that have Providence families sitting on wait lists to get into.”

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City Council President Rachel Miller claimed the vote was "pro-student."

“Councilors are working for the success of every student in every Providence public school,” said Miller (Ward 13). “Tonight, the council affirmed that position by not turning over a beloved community school in Federal Hill to charter schools, which would have deepened the education divide. We can work together to form better solutions for our students, their families, and our dedicated teachers.” 

 

Charter Schools Voice Frustration with City Council and RI Department of Education

A statement from the two charter school companies said, “We are deeply disappointed with the City Council’s decision to reject our lease. AchievementFirst and Excel Academy won a City-sponsored RFP to lease the former site of the Carl G. Lauro School through an open and fair bidding process.”

“A significant number of Providence families support the work of our two public charter schools. On June 4th, the Council received 263 letters of support and only 3 letters of opposition. Additionally, over 250 of our Providence families showed up in support, compared to just 20 who opposed, a ratio of more than 10 to 1,” said the schools.

“The City Council’s ‘no’ vote was against Providence public school students, their families, and our whole community. Because of the City Council’s decision, the building will remain in disrepair and the educational future of more than a thousand Providence families is now in jeopardy,” said the schools.

The charter schools criticized the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Providence School Department.

"It is also troubling that RIDE and PPSD interfered with a public RFP process—an interference that has a negative impact on our kids and families. These families, and the thousands of other Providence families on waiting lists for our schools, deserved a better process than this," said the schools.

Further, the schools said, "Our growth trajectories as public charter schools were approved in December 2020 by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. Tonight’s vote in no way changes that. Achievement First and Excel Academy remain steadfast in our efforts to find space to educate the students of Providence and meet the overwhelming demand from families for high-quality public school options."

Neither Smiley nor Jacqui Alessi, the Associate Chief of Public Affairs for Achievement First, would answer what would happen next regarding a location for the schools.