R.I. Foundation awards $175K to Central Falls

CENTRAL FALLS – The Rhode Island Foundation has awarded more than $175,000 to a University of Rhode Island-Central Falls High School partnership to improve the once-failing high school.
The foundation has already awarded $50,000 to the partnership, called Central Falls High School: A University of Rhode Island Academy, last year for the program’s planning. The latest grant will support three of the partnership’s initiatives: creating an Academic Enhancement Center, a Family and Community Engagement Center and a Transition Through Arts Literacy Learning University.
URI began working with the state Department of Education and Central Falls last year in response to the high school’s classification for five consecutive years as a school “making insufficient progress,” as defined by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal statute.
The formal partnership between the schools became official in May 2007. The overall goal of the partnership is that Central Falls High will be a recognized, high-achieving, school of distinction under NCLB guidelines within four years.
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