EDITORIAL: State Senator Who Loves To Hear Himself Speak, But Doesn’t Listen (Or Does He)
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL: State Senator Who Loves To Hear Himself Speak, But Doesn’t Listen (Or Does He)
Labor unions are leading the fight to block additional charter school seats, demanding funding dollars go to traditional public schools instead.
Senator Ryan Pearson seems to enjoy the sound of his own voice. In the course of the Senate hearing, he repeatedly asked Mayor Jorge Elorza about the impact of the expansion of charter schools and how that expansion would impact Providence’s schools and specifically on the budget.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTJust one problem. The State of Rhode Island took over Providence schools — budget and all.
Pearson, who mentioned over and over that he chaired an education review commission that previously looked at the state's school funding formulas, doesn't seem to know that the largest school district in Rhode Island is being run now by the state.
He told GoLocal after the committee hearing that he led the effort to improve financing for improvement to Providence's school buildings -- but also admitted he actually has never visited a public school in Providence.
That might be what you call hands-on pontification.
If Pearson needs a reminder of how bad many of Rhode Island's middle schools are across the state -- SEE SLIDES BELOW
Pearson would be well served to stop talking and try listening.
Perhaps listening to some basic facts -- or from families who wanted to testify in favor of school options besides their district schools, but were relegated to testifying late Wednesday evening, following unions, on a school night.
His campaign finance reports give a peek under the proverbial tent as to who Pearson may be listening to. Pearson has received nearly 100 campaign donations from labor union PACs — he has gobbled up more than $10,000 in labor PAC dollars.
Good for the unions -- they know where to put their money.
Pearson wants to block minority parents in Providence and Central Falls from the opportunity to send their children to charter schools and would rather that they attend inferior public schools — schools that are among the worst in the United States.
Thousands of inner city kids are left on waiting lists and forced to attend schools in which the vast majority of the students are left behind.
Maybe we know who Pearson listens to.
Rhode Island's Worst Performing Middle Schools - July 1, 2019
Johnston
Nicholas Feri Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 27% Math 22%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 54% Math 61%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 18% Math 16%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 1 Math <1
Cranston
Hugh Bain Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 37% Math 38%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 52% Math 54%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 11% Math 8%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
Woonsocket
Woonsocket Middle School - Hamlet
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 45% Math 45%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 46% Math 48%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 8% Math 7%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1% Math 0
Woonsocket
Woonsocket Middle School - Villa Nova
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 41% Math 40%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 49% Math 54%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 10% Math 7%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1% Math 0
Providence
Roger Williams Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 60% Math 56%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 36% Math 41%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 4% Math 2%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 0 Math 0
Pawtucket
Samuel Slater Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 48% Math 40%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 44% Math 53%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 6% Math 7%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
Pawtucket
Joseph Jenks Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 44% Math 37%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 47% Math 56%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 8% Math 6%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
Central Falls
Dr. Earl E. Calcutt Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 55% Math 59%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 38% Math 37%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 6% Math 4%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 0
Has been under state management for approximately 20+ years
Providence
Esek Hopkins Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 49% Math 45%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 43% Math 51%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 8% Math 4%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 0
Providence
Gilbert Stuart Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 60% Math 56%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 36% Math 41%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 3% Math 3%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 0 Math 0
Providence
Governor Chris DelSesto Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 64% Math 56%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 33% Math 41%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 3% Math 3%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 0
Providence
Nathan Bishop Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 51% Math 50%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 35% Math 40%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 13% Math 10%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 1 Math <1
Providence
West Broadway Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 52% Math 52%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 42% Math 42%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 6% Math 6%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
Charter
Paul Cuffie
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 23% Math 22%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 59% Math 59%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 17% Math 19%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 1
Test results are for the entire school, not just the middle school
Newport
Frank E. Thompson Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 30% Math 28%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 47% Math 53%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 21% Math 19%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 1 Math <1
West Warwick
John F. Deering Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 23% Math 27%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 55% Math 57%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 22% Math 16%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
