"Parents and Students" in Charge of Providence Schools Says Infante-Green -- Just Like in 2012
GoLocalProv News Team
"Parents and Students" in Charge of Providence Schools Says Infante-Green -- Just Like in 2012
They were in charge and the decision-makers.
Now, the State of Rhode Island has unveiled its new organizational structure to manage the Providence Schools. Guess who is in charge?
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTYes, indeed, students and parents, once again.
This summer, Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green made it clear, however, that the hiring of a new Turnaround Superintendent would not include families in the selection process.
Three months later -- RIDE is still searching for a Turnaround Superintendent.
SEE NEW -- AND OLD -- ORG CHARTS BELOW
In essence, the Commissioner takes the role of the school board — with hiring and firing power -- and takes the Providence school district out of the equation.
This raises the question if the Providence School Board has any role now moving forward.
“To realize the core commitment of providing an excellent education for every child, the district will need to transform its Central Office,” said RIDE with the release of the 2019 chart.
“The ’19-20 school year represents an important transition year, and the Central Office needs to reflect the reality of a district in transition:
* Relentless in putting students and families first, with a commitment to quality and equity for all students
* Lean and flexible in its structure, oriented towards maximizing resources and supports that go directly to schools
* Able to continually evolve recognizing that a broader, community-driven process will lead to a set of strategic priorities that will likely lead to a multi-year transformation.
RIDE pointed out what the said are changes from current org structure as the following:
Removal of Chief of Human Capital position
Addition of Chief Operations Officer, that oversees administration, finance, and human resources/capital
Filling of Chief of Staff position, including management and strategic capacity, as well as project management support intended to support all areas of the organization
Shift in reporting structure of legal function—such that it reports directly to district, instead of City
Shift of public affairs from administration to direct report to Superintendent, streamline size of public affairs office
Shift in reporting structure of zone directors to superintendent, rather than to CAO (this reflects a change that Dr. Gallo has already instituted)
Removal of School Board, City, and Mayor from the organization chart
2019 Chart
2012 Chart
State Takeover of Providence Schools Begins -- 5 Things to Know
New Website
A new website had been launched by RIDE to keep families informed.
"A new website, www.4PVDKids.com, is now live and will be continuously updated as a family-friendly hub for activities related to the transformation of PPSD," said RIDE.
"It contains a welcome from the Commissioner and a list of ways that community members can stay informed and get involved."
PHOTO: Screenshot of website
New "Teams"
On Friday, RIDE announced a new "Community Design Team" process, which they said will be a "driving force" in the development of the long-term Turnaround Plan.
The Community Design Teams, which will include and be led by members of the Providence community - including parents, educators, and community leaders – will generate ideas and initiatives embedded in the five-year plan.
There will be three Community Design Teams, each focused on a different priority area: World Class Talent; Excellence in Learning; and Engaged Communities.
PHOTO: Reynaldo Almonte
Selection Process Begins
Information on the design team process and how to nominate community members to serve on the teams is available on the 4PVDKids website.
Nominations open today, with final selections set to be announced in early December, according to RIDE.
Once the teams are announced, they will work over a 100-day period to support development of the Turnaround Plan.
More Ways to Get Involved
Community Advisory Boards: Under Rhode Island’s ESSA State Plan, CABs are required for federally identified low-performing schools. Providence currently has three CABs broken down by grade level – elementary, middle, and high school – and those groups started last year under ESSA. The mission of this group is to write and approve school improvement plans for this particular subset of schools.
Providence Parent Advisory Council (PAC): A group of Providence parents that meets monthly. As part of the state intervention, RIDE will now assume the support role for the PAC from PPSD.
The Providence Parent Action Group that the Commissioner convened in the fall will be absorbed into PAC. These are open meetings that community members can join.
The mission of the group is to solicit feedback on turnaround efforts, share information about and beyond the turnaround, and serve more broadly as an advocate liaison for Providence students and families with PPSD and RIDE.
PHOTO: School One Book Club
Commissioner Meets With Stakeholders
Commissioner started the day Friday by talking to Providence principals, followed by brief media availability, a conversation with Central Office staff, and a visit to Central High School to visit classrooms and meet with students and teachers.
Later in the afternoon, the Commissioner will meet with Providence Teachers Union leadership, and on Monday, with Providence parents.
