Rhode Island teachers have Cranston Rep. Joseph McNamara and Sen. Hannah M. Gallo to thank for a pair of just-passed companion bills that are designed to widen the lines of communication between the state Board of Education and classroom educators.
The bills create an advisory council that is expected to "give teachers an opportunity to inform policymakers about practical issues regarding regulations and/or policies and to bring the voices of classroom teachers into the conversation about policies and regulations that impact classroom activities."
It's no secret that a majority of public school teachers are unhappy with state Education Commissioner Deborah Gist. Some of the friction revolves around the implementation of new standards and testing requirements. Here in Cranston, teachers have also taken issue with mandates, including a measure that would effectively end seniority-based job fairs, prompting the Cranston Teacher's Alliance to sue the School Committee to block the new policy from formal adoption.
The new Teachers' Advisory Council will include one teacher from each school district chosen by the district's state association of teacher representatives. Two teachers from public charter schools will be chosen from the Rhode Island League of Charter Schools and one teacher will come from the Mayoral Academies.
Council members will pick their own chairperson and serve two-year terms.
The council, to be referred to as the RITAC, will primarily serve an advisory role and serve the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education and/or the state Board of Education on policy matters and how they affect the practical aspect of teaching and classroom activities.
Both bills are attached to this article.
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