Last Tuesday, Mayor Angel Taveras issued termination notices to all 1,926 Providence public school teachers, citing the city’s dire budget deficit. The move ignited a controversy over how far state politicians can go to address financial challenges.
The same day as the rally to support Wisconsin workers, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras’ decision to issue dismissal notices to all 1,926 Providence public school teachers sent shockwaves across the nation and focused the public labor spotlight directly on Rhode Island.
Despite the University’s perch atop College Hill, students have a long history of engagement with the Providence Public School District. With more than 60 outreach programs in local schools, Brown has a sizable presence within the district. But Rhode Island’s education system is in dire straits, and schools are under more scrutiny than ever. Opinions vary as to how welcome University outreach is, and whether — distanced from overburdened schools — Brown can truly make a difference.
With funding reduced across all disciplines in public schools, it is unclear how areas like the arts — whose success cannot be measured through standardized tests — will fare in the next round of cuts.
Rhode Island has trailed neighboring New England states in student performance in recent decades. But the arrival of Education Commissioner Deborah Gist in July 2009 brought a new sense of urgency to the push for reform.
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