Education

Adults Failed the NECAP…What Does It Mean?

By Patrick Laverty | March 20, 2013 |

According to Kim Kalunian’s story on 630WPRO.com, 30 out of 50 of the adult test takers received a score that wouldn’t allow them to graduate from high school. At least on the first try. However, what does that tell us? Does the correlation say that these people who scored poorly will not be a success…

Students Get at least 4 cracks at Passing the NECAP Requirement

By Marc Comtois | March 19, 2013 |

In light of the recent outcry over the NECAP graduation requirements, here are the actual requirements as published on the RI Dep’t of Ed. website: First Chance: Score 2 on first attempt (2 out of 4, 2 is partial proficiency) in 11th grade. If they fail the first try, the student and his parents are…

RI #1 In Teacher Absenteeism

By Marc Comtois | February 17, 2013 |

Earlier this week, USA Today highlighted that Rhode Island was the state with the most teacher absenteeism in the country (GoLocalProv picked it up today), according to a study by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. New research suggests that teacher absenteeism is becoming problematic in U.S. public schools, as about one…

Ed Commissioner: Let’s Put the Children First

By Monique Chartier | February 2, 2013 |

On January 22, by a vote of two to two with four others abstaining (that’s right, four abstentions due to possible conflicts of interest), the Chariho School Committee failed to implement a policy of non-seniority based layoffs for the Chariho school system. Late yesterday afternoon, possibly in response to this uncourageous vote by the Chariho…

Things We Read Today (39), Thursday

By Justin Katz | December 6, 2012 |

Critical thinking sexism in Providence schools; a masculine career in disability; indoctrination; gambling on the law; an earnest pun. Continue reading on the Ocean State Current…

Things We Read Today (36), Wednesday

By Justin Katz | November 28, 2012 |

Threats to the economy (cliffs and debts); RI lagging again (yawn); dependors and dependees; Social Security a problem; and a civil right to the war zone frat party. Continue reading on the Ocean State Current…

Good Intentions Gone Wrong

By Marc Comtois | November 28, 2012 |

Michael Barone writes: In “Mismatch,” law professor Richard Sander and journalist Stuart Taylor…[tell] a story of good intentions gone terribly awry. Sander and Taylor document beyond disagreement how university admissions offices’ racial quotas and preferences systematically put black and Hispanic students in schools where they are far less well-prepared than others. As a result, they…

Things We Read Today (35), Tuesday

By Justin Katz | November 27, 2012 |

Healthcare and what you get for free; making a living trying to fix the dying (state); the dictator prescription; and unhealthily sexist (female) teachers. Continue reading on the Ocean State Current…

Things We Read Today (33), Friday

By Justin Katz | November 23, 2012 |

What’s up with the Providence charter push; why RI schools lack warmth; how pervasive is progressive destruction; and how an island is like policy knowledge. Continue reading on the Ocean State Current…

College Loans and Defaults

By Patrick Laverty | October 7, 2012 |

I had a discussion recently with GoLocalProv.com writer Dan McGowan after his article on college loan debt and we got onto the topic of whether that debt might ever be dischargeable through bankruptcy. I do think we’ll see a time when bankruptcy clears out loan debt and if Obama returns to the White House, he…