Raimondo orders ‘comprehensive review’ of Providence schools

GOV. GINA RAIMONDO has directed the state Department of Education to establish a panel of experts to conduct a review of Providence schools./ PBN FILE PHOTO/ DAVE HANSEN
GOV. GINA RAIMONDO has directed the state Department of Education to establish a panel of experts to conduct a review of Providence schools./ PBN FILE PHOTO/ DAVE HANSEN

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Gina M. Raimondo is directing the state Department of Education to conduct a “comprehensive review” of the Providence school system to develop a “long-term course of action that will best serve all students,” Raimondo’s office announced Tuesday.

After consulting with incoming Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green and Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, Raimondo called for the Department of Education to assemble a team of experts to conduct the review, seeking input from teachers, staff, families and students.

The team will produce a report to be made public in June, the governor’s office said.

“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,” Raimondo said in a news release. “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.”

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The governor’s office noted Providence’s results in the 2018 Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System, which found that fewer than 15% of the city’s students are proficient in math or English language arts and that there are “significant achievement gaps” for students of color.

The Providence district also has a dropout rate nearly double the state average and high rates of absenteeism.

Raimondo acknowledged that problems in Providence schools have existed for decades and that previous attempts to overcome “deep-rooted challenges” have not had much success.

“The status quo is failing our kids and we must do better,” stated Elorza. “We are in a unique moment for our Providence schools and in order to capitalize on this opportunity, we need to work together. Urban core cities across the country have been hindered by processes and systems that are outdated and stand in the way of progress.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.”

The state review of Providence schools comes as Infante-Green prepares to take over next week as the state commissioner of elementary and secondary education, replacing outgoing commissioner Ken Wagner.

“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,” Infante-Green said Tuesday. “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.”

William Hamilton is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Hamilton@PBN.com.

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