Dismal Situation: A Member of the Providence School Board Makes the Argument for Local Control
GoLocalProv News Team
Dismal Situation: A Member of the Providence School Board Makes the Argument for Local Control
And, one member of the body is speaking out — and answering questions — about the need for change: Providence School Board member Ty'Relle Stephens.
Providence schools have been in steady decline for decades. In 1990, a major effort to revamp the school system called for significant reforms, but that attempt was crushed by the Providence Teachers Union and then-Providence Mayor Vincent Cianci.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnd, subsequently — the most recent indictment was the Johns Hopkins report conducted under then-Governor Gina Raimondo. That study ranked Providence amongst the worst in America.
In the fall of 2019, the State of Rhode Island took over the beleaguered urban school system.
The State of Providence School’s Education Level is Dismal
The quality of the education levels in Providence schools has been dismal under the control of the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green for four-plus years.
RIDE released the SchoolsWorks report two weeks ago. The report found that only 21% of students met or exceeded expectations in 3rd grade math and only 19% met or exceeded expectations in 3rd grade ELA.
The results for 8th and 11th graders were more concerning, with only 6% and 15% of 8th graders meeting or exceeding math and ELA scores, respectively.
Just 13% of 11th graders met or exceeded expectations in math and less than 30% of 11th graders met or exceeded ELA scores on the SAT.
Moreover, nearly a quarter of PPSD students fail to graduate high school in four years.
In all, the SchoolWorks report found that nearly seven out of 10 PPSD/RIDE academic metrics are “not on track” (15 of 22 “excellence in learning” metrics; 68%).
“I am proud to announce that the Providence School Board has unanimously voted 9-0 to recommend ending state intervention and returning Providence Schools to the governance of the Providence School Board by the end of the 2024-2025 school year. This decision reflects the countless hours I, as a board member, have spent listening to community public comments, where concerns were consistently raised, and the call to end the state takeover was loud and clear,” said Stephens in a statement.
“I firmly believe that the progress made under state oversight can not only be maintained but surpassed once our schools are back under the control of the newly Hybrid (Elected) School Board in 2025. Data has shown that our schools performed better before the takeover than they do under the current state intervention,” Stephens added.
"Frankly, I cannot fathom why Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green would suggest a refusal of our recommendation. If the city's School Board is demanding its rightful authority be restored, then it should be respected. Should the Commissioner decide to overturn this recommendation, I, along with most of my colleagues, will take action by seeking revisions to the Crowley Act through the General Assembly to restore full duties to the Providence School Board," Stephens said.
Stephens claims that the failure over the years should be placed at the feet of Providence mayors over the years.
“I believe one of the significant reasons for the district's struggles is the historical influence mayors have had over the school board. For nearly 45 years, the Providence School Board has been fully appointed, and studies show that since then, the district's performance has consistently lagged," said Stephens.
“In my view, the board has been restricted because mayors have historically influenced its decisions, often steering it toward their agendas rather than what’s best for our students," he added. "However, this January, we're transitioning to a hybrid school board model, with five members elected and others appointed. I believe this shift toward elected representation will bring much-needed transparency and allow the community to drive real change.”
Stephens points out that while the Johns Hopkins report found Providence to be the lowest performing in the country, that the district is performing even worse under Infante-Green’s control.
“Looking at the report, it's clear that, in several areas, the district actually performed better before the state takeover. This raises the question: Has state intervention truly benefited us? So far, the promised significant improvements have not materialized. Instead, we've seen more bureaucracy that distances the community from making meaningful changes,” said Stephens.
“Considering the lack of substantial progress since the takeover, coupled with the ongoing investigations by the Department of Justice and the Attorney General, the firing of two superintendents, reports of a toxic work environment, and the closure of multiple schools without community input, it’s clear that things have gotten out of control,” he adds.
“That’s why I voted to end the state takeover for the 2024-2025 school year and to give the school board ample time to achieve turnaround status well in advance,” he said.