17 appointed to group on educator autonomy

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee, the Board of Education and the R.I. Department of Education have appointed a 17-member working group to manage the Educator Autonomy Project.
Led by co-chairs Yanaiza Gallant, a Rhode Island Milken Educator Award winner, and Patricia Page, the 2014 Rhode Island teacher of the year, the working group started monthly meetings on Dec. 3 in sessions open to the public. By the end of June 2014 it will submit recommendations for action to the governor.
“The objective of the Educator Autonomy Working Group is to make specific recommendations on ways we can increase innovation in the classroom and provide more flexibility for teachers, principals and superintendents in order to improve the learning experiences for all Rhode Island students,” Chafee said.
The timeline for the project will encompass three phases: first, building a common understanding about the issue of autonomy and the barriers to effective teaching and learning in Rhode Island; second, determining areas for recommendations, including potential changes in governance; finally, developing specific recommendations. •