It's Official, RI Takes Over Providence Schools
GoLocalProv News Team
It's Official, RI Takes Over Providence Schools
VIDEO COURTESY OF REYNALDO ALMONTE
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The unanimous 7-0 vote comes a month after the release of the Johns Hopkins report and three months after Governor Gina Raimondo announced a state review of the schools.
Questions persist as to how this takeover will be different from the state's takeover of Central Falls schools. Central Falls school's test results are 30+ percent lower than Providence's scores.
Recently, former Central Falls Mayor Tom Lazieh told GoLocalProv.com that he lobbied then-Governor Bruce Sundlun to take over the underperforming Central Falls schools system in hopes of better financial support and stronger educational outcomes, but now more than two-plus decades later, the former Mayor says the experiment has been an educational failure.
“The State takeover of schools doesn’t mean better quality,” said Lazieh. And he has words of warning about a Providence takeover.
Two weeks ago, Gary Sasse, the former Director of Administration for the State of Rhode Island said on GoLocal LIVE’s Business Monday, that there was a significant opportunity to improve education in Central Falls and the state has failed the children of Central Falls.
“I want to thank the Council for its leadership, decisiveness, and support tonight. I will need everyone involved to display the same qualities as we work to turn Providence schools into the model system that our students deserve. I look forward to working with my team and the entire community as we develop a plan for fundamental change that lasts for generations,” said Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Following the decision, Providence Teachers Union President Maribeth Calabro issued the following statement:
“Providence teachers want what Providence students need. We hope the board, elected leaders, parents, students, and educators with their union can work together to follow through on making these schools safe, supportive, respectful and welcoming environments for everyone who walks through the doors. We look forward to doing that work together—as a community.
As the teachers in the classrooms every day, we are acutely aware of the challenges facing our students and our schools. We are committed to tackling those challenges head-on and working with the state board and others to take action on these issues quickly. For years, we have tried to draw attention to gaps in curriculum, social and emotional concerns, and the declining conditions we face, and we hope these issues will finally be addressed collaboratively and thoughtfully.
We want all public schools to be places where parents want to send their kids, educators want to teach and kids can thrive.”
Next Steps
The next step in the legal process is for the Commissioner to issue a Draft Proposal for Decision and Order Exercising Control over the PPSD and Reconstituting Schools.
RIDE anticipates that the Draft Proposal for Decision and Order will be issued in the next two weeks.
At that time, the Infante-Green will also issue a notice to the Mayor of Providence Jorge Elorza, the Providence City Council, the Providence School Board, and the Acting/Interim Superintendent Fran Gallo giving them the opportunity to show cause why she should not take control of the district and reconstitute schools within the district.
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