PROVIDENCE – The state assumed control of the Providence school system on Friday morning, a historic handover that may have gone unnoticed by many students but which could result in significant changes over the next five years.
The system is now led by Angélica Infante-Green, the R.I. commissioner of education. She said this week in an interview with the Providence Business News that the hiring of a new superintendent is in process. Negotiations are ongoing, she said.
Stay Ahead of Winter Respiratory Illnesses: Expert Advice from South County Health Express Care Providers
As winter progresses, so does the season of respiratory illnesses. Colds, the flu, RSV, and…
Learn More
“We have more than one individual that we’re talking to,” she said.
That position will oversee the schools and report directly to her. She wants someone who can hit the ground running, she said, with a track record for turning around troubled schools.
In the interim, the system’s interim superintendent Fran Gallo, now reports to the state commissioner instead of city officials.
The state takeover, conducted under the state Crowley Act, gives the commissioner power over the Providence schools budget, programs and personnel. Infante-Green, who previously held leadership positions in New York city schools, began her career as a classroom teacher in the South Bronx.
She started in Rhode Island in late April. On Friday morning, she began her day with a meeting with all school principals. The district has 41 schools and nearly 24,000 students in traditional schools and district charter schools.
She also expected to meet Friday with parents and teachers.
As part of the handover, she announced that the state is working on a specific turnaround plan for the Providence schools, and is soliciting nominations for parents, community leaders and educators to serve on several community-based committees.
A new website, www.4PVDKids.com, launched on Friday with information about how to get involved and stay informed.
Three community design teams will be focused on different priorities, including recruitment, academics and engaged communities. The team members will be announced in early December and will work over the next 100 days on a turnaround plan for the schools.
The state’s takeover of the largest school system in Rhode Island will likely have a positive effect on the city’s finances, according to a report issued Oct. 21 by Moody’s Investors Service. In a credit outlook, the rating service said state-led improvement of the educational system would contribute to the city’s tax base and economic activity.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.