PROVIDENCE – A new five-year strategic plan and $250,000 Nellie Mae Education Foundation grant were announced by the Providence Public School District at a Feb. 14 gathering at Sgt. Cornel Young, Jr. and Charlotte Woods Elementary School.
At the event, Mayor Jorge O. Elorza said, “I want Providence to be the top urban school district in the United States.”
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The plan, “Empowering Students and Schools,” was one year in the making and the product of a 40-person district workgroup. It listed five main goals: ensuring academic achievement; maximizing learning time; growing a strong workforce; providing improved service; and allocating resources strategically. The school district hopes to realize these goals by 2021 as well as improved four-year graduation rates, decreased chronic absenteeism among faculty and students, student suspensions and larger fundraising returns.
At the event, Superintendent Christopher Maher said: “The five-year plan uses equity and continuous improvement as its touchstones and it will help us turn Providence Schools’ reputation from a district that struggles to produce strong results to a district renowned for its best practices in urban education.”
Announced Feb. 14, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation grant will fund the expansion of personalized learning at four high schools, professional development and job-embedded coaching for staff as well as school-based, professional learning communities for staff, students and families.
The Providence Public School District serves approximately 24,000 students and their families through 22 elementary schools, seven middle schools, 10 high schools and two public district charter schools. Its student body identifies as 63 percent Hispanic, 17 percent Black, 10 percent White, 5 percent Asian, 4 percent multiracial and 1 percent Native American. Approximately 26 percent of the district’s students are English language learners. For more information, visit www.providenceschools.org.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
