A new organization will provide support for the employees of Rhode Island’s expanding roster of charter schools.
The Rhode Island League of Charter Schools is in the works, a collaboration between the state’s three existing charter schools – the Textron Chamber of Commerce Academy, Times Square School and the Highlander School – and the state’s three new charter schools slated for September openings.
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The Paul Cuffee School will open in Providence this September. Kingston Hill Academy and the International Charter School will be the first Rhode Island charter schools to open outside of Providence. They will be located in South Kingstown and Pawtucket, respectively.
The organization will act as a membership support organization for staff members of charter schools. Through the organization, members can share the costs of services such as professional development and consultants.
“I see this as a significant development, because as we bring more schools on board, there is a support system in place to share resources and common experiences,” said Coordinator of Charter Schools Keith Oliveira.
The group may also help Rhode Islanders better understand the charter school movement.
“I think a lot of Rhode Islanders are not fully aware of what charter schools actually are,” Oliveira said. “Our growth pattern is much slower than you might see in other states, but we’re not competing with, say, Massachusetts.”
Investment from the business community is essential to the charter school movement’s continued growth, said Oliveira.
“The business community has been very reluctant to put money into school systems, but to invest in a charter school – you can see the impact,” he said. “You can see how the money is being utilized. The business community is crucial to the survival of charter schools.”
Rhode Island companies CVS (the Highlander School), Textron (the Textron Chamber of Commerce Academy) and GTECH (the Times Square School) have already made commitments to sponsor charter schools.
