LISTEN TO STEVE KLAMKIN’S REPORT:
Listen to “Raimondo, Elorza push plan to improve Providence schools” on Spreaker.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Gov. Gina Raimondo and Mayor Jorge Elorza are teaming up to improve Providence’s public schools.
Raimondo, in consultation with incoming Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, on Tuesday called on the state Department of Education to commission a comprehensive review to identify the causes of the district’s challenges and figure out ways to improve student achievement.
The department will establish a team of education experts to conduct the review, with input from teachers, staff, families and students.
Maribeth Calabro, the President of the Providence Teachers Union, tells WPRO’s Dan Yorke that a big problem with Providence’s schools is the degree to which Mayor Jorge Elorza ‘micromanages’ the department. “It’s difficult to get anything done when you have this scaffolded hierarchy of authority that we have to go through in order to get anything done. Our time and energy should be spent getting our kids to succeed.” Listen to the full conversation below.
Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System results from last year found that fewer than 15 percent of Providence’s students are proficient in math or English language arts, with significant achievement gaps for students of color.
The review team is expected to produce a report by June.
“Rhode Island has an urgent need to improve schools and close achievement gaps across the state. Taking this hands-on approach in Providence is a necessary first step in working to improve outcomes and deliver high-quality education for all students in Providence,” said Governor Gina Raimondo. “The hardworking students, teachers and staff who work tirelessly every day in Providence schools have been let down by the system. For Providence schools to see sustainable improvement there must be a new approach.”
“The status quo is failing our kids and we must do better. We are in a unique moment for our Providence schools and in order to capitalize on this opportunity, we need to work together,” said Mayor Jorge Elorza. “Urban core cities across the country have been hindered by processes and systems that are outdated and stand in the way of progress. We need to act now because our students have waited too long and they cannot wait any longer.”
“I have dedicated my career to fighting for better outcomes and more equitable access to opportunities for young people. That’s exactly what the students and families of Providence deserve, and that’s why a holistic review of the district is the right first step,” said incoming Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “My top priority is ensuring that the voices of educators, students, and families are heard throughout this process. Improving Providence schools in a meaningful way is going to take all of us working together with the best interests of students at the center of everything we do.”
Listen to “Providence Teachers Union President Maribeth Calabro” on Spreaker.
