It has been promised for some time, but today Commissioner Deborah Gist and RIDE announced intervention in six schools that have been consistently low-achieving. These schools are:
- Charlotte Woods Elementary School, Providence
- Central Falls Senior High School, Central Falls
- Feinstein High School, Providence
- Lillian Feinstein Elementary School, Providence
- Roger Williams Middle School, Providence
- William B. Cooley, Sr., Health & Science Technology High School, Providence
Teams of “stakeholders”, including teachers, parents, students and other community members, will determine a course of action for reform. Make no mistake, change will be swift and significant. These teams will be required to choose one of four reform models that could result in the replacement of principals and at least half of teachers, or even the reopening of schools as charters. Reform models for each of these schools must be determined within 45 days.
This transition will be tough for many involved, but will be fascinating to watch. If all goes as planned, bureaucrats and union leaders will take a back seat to the “stakeholders” as they decide what is best for their kids.
January 17th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
I worked in Roger Williams Middle School as a long-term (one year) substitute teacher in a self-contained classroom for children with behavior problems. The neighborhood was very urban and quite poor. I’m not surprised that the school is in trouble but the aforementioned factors are the number one reason in my view. I observed many good teachers and administrators doing their best. I hope that the intervention does not waylay some of the good people that work there. I am very concerned about drastic change throwing a portion of the baby out with the bathwater.