PROVIDENCE – The city’s former mayor has landed a new job.
Jorge O. Elorza, who served eight years as Providence mayor, has been appointed the CEO of Democrats for Education Reform, a national political advocacy organization, and its affiliate nonpartisan think-tank Education Reform Now.
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During Elorza’s two terms as mayor, the state took over control of the Providence Public School District after a scathing report by the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy concluded that a “great majority” of students were not learning on or near grade level and teachers felt demoralized and unsupported.
“As mayor, I saw all too well the critical need for bold leadership to transform public education so that it serves all students—particularly those historically marginalized,” Elorza said in a news release announcing his appointment. “DFER has been at the forefront of the fight against the status quo in public education for more than a decade, and I am honored to serve this organization at a time of both incredible urgency and possibility for our nation’s students.”
In its release, the DFER touted Elorza’s track record in education.
“During his two terms as the Democratic mayor of Rhode Island’s largest city, Elorza undertook bold actions to advance a social and racial justice agenda,” the release stated. “This included taking the unprecedented step to engage the state Department of Education to turn around the city’s chronically underperforming school system, creating the city’s Eat, Play, Learn Initiative to expand out-of-school enrichment, and launching a nationally recognized African American Ambassador Group to bring Black leaders into the center of policymaking. Notably, he invested $400 million into repairing school buildings, and supported the expansion of high-quality public charter schools.”
It was not clear when Elorza will start his new job. Elorza and representatives from DFER did not immediately respond for comment.
Elorza, who was term-limited, left City Hall in at the end of 2022. Three weeks after being succeeded by Brett Smiley, Elroza took on a part-time teaching role at Roger Williams University School of Law.
A son of of Guatemalan immigrants, Elorza earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and law degree from Harvard University.
