Education

The State of Education in Rhode Island, Part 3

By Carroll Andrew Morse | March 1, 2010 |

An examination of the NECAP reading proficiency results presented in Part 2 reveals that only 2 of 12 Rhode Island school districts that began with 70% or more of their students proficient or better in the 8th grade according to the 2005/2006 NECAPs exhibited an increase in their total numbers of students proficient by the…

President Obama Uses Rhode Island Education Reform Examples

By Marc Comtois | March 1, 2010 |

In a speech to Americas Promise Alliance to tout a $900 million school turnaround program, President Obama turned to Rhode Island for both positive and negative examples (h/t ProJo): We’ll not only challenge states to identify high schools with graduation rates below 60 percent, we’re going to invest another $900 million in strategies to get…

The State of Education in Rhode Island, Part 2 Take 2

By Carroll Andrew Morse | February 28, 2010 |

Oftentimes, information communicated in terms of underlying counts gives people a sense of what is reasonable and what is possible that can be lost when results are presented solely in terms of percentages. So before moving on to the part 3 post in the State of Education in RI series, I am going to post…

A Regionalization Correction

By Carroll Andrew Morse | February 28, 2010 |

I’ve made one set of corrections to the education statistics presented at the beginning of last week (Part 1 here, Part 2 here), specifically to the results for North Kingstown and Portsmouth. As the result of agreements between towns, North Kingstown High is the public high school attended by students from Jamestown and Portsmouth High…

Rhode Island Statewide Coalition Winter Meeting Table of Contents

By Justin Katz | February 28, 2010 |

Anchor Rising’s complete coverage of the Rhode Island Statewide Coalition’s winter meeting: My on-the-scene liveblog Video: RISC Chairman Harry Staley’s opening remarks Video: 630AM/99.7FM Host John DePetro Video: Central Falls Superintendent Frances Gallo Video: RISC President James Beale and Business Network Organizer Jeff Deckman Video: Rhode Island Governor Don Carcieri Video: Board of Regents Member…

Board of Regents Member Angus Davis at RISC’s Winter Meeting

By Justin Katz | February 27, 2010 |

NOTE: Any members of the media who couldn’t make it to the meeting and rely on this video for future reports are encouraged to do so, but a brief note of the video’s source would be appreciated. Rhode Island Board of Regents member Angus Davis came out with guns blazing in a surprise speech at…

Central Falls Superintendent Frances Gallo at RISC’s Winter Meeting

By Justin Katz | February 27, 2010 |

NOTE: Any members of the media who couldn’t make it to the meeting and rely on this video for future reports are encouraged to do so, but a brief note of the video’s source would be appreciated. Herewith, the video of the speech given by Central Falls Superintendent Frances Gallo at the Winter meeting of…

Funding Formulas

By Marc Comtois | February 27, 2010 |

A new funding formula for schools–to be phased in over a few years–is being floated. The Barrington School District would see a boost of $3.8 million, or nearly 190 percent, over the next five years. Other winners include Providence (up $28.7 million, or more than 15 percent), Cranston (up $9.6 million, or almost 29 percent)…

Yeah, We Have No Idea

By Justin Katz | February 26, 2010 |

Here’s another instance of the disconnect of the labor unions: “We think it’s an outrage,” Jane Sessums, president of the Central Falls Teachers Union, said, as hundreds of union supporters from across the state began flowing into Jenks Park. “Our members are feeling awful, devastated. How would you feel, being terminated?” One gets the impression…

Yorke Airs Both Sides of Central Falls Debate

By Marc Comtois | February 26, 2010 |

Dan Yorke spoke with both Central Falls Superintendent Francis Gallo (podcast link) and Central Falls High School Guidance Counselor George McLaughlin (podcast link) on his show yesterday. Supt. Gallo explained that she was stymied by the union in trying to work out a solution based on the “transformation model.” But first she wanted assurances on…