Rhode Island Lawmakers Call For Sweeping Education Reforms

Rhode Island lawmakers are calling for major changes to the state's education system. House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio unveiled a package of bills on Tuesday that would overhaul the state's curricula, teacher assessments, principal certifications and more.

"We were all disappointed by the standardized test scores last year," Speaker Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) said. "There was also a great disparity in results from community to community, often based on income. This package of bills will standardize curriculum, improve governance and accountability so more decisions are made at the local level, and improve teacher training and evaluation. These are long-term solutions that will really change the ways that schools do business."

The reforms consist of seven bills, each aimed at improving a different facet of public education.

"We have high standards in place, as well as assessments that are aligned to those standards. However, we never did the hard work of ensuring our curriculum prepares students for these expectations," President Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) said. "Nor have we done the difficult work of better preparing and supporting teachers so they are equipped to help students succeed. We have the gold standard in education right next door in Massachusetts, and we looked to their model to see what best practices could make a real difference here."

The first bill calls for changes to the state's academic standards. If passed, it would require the Commissioner of Education to change the state's curriculum frameworks to meet curriculum goals and the Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System.

"This bill would ensure that our academic standards set forth the skills, competencies, and knowledge expected of each student. The curriculum will align with those standards, and the frameworks would provide strategies to help meet the diverse needs of our students, closing any gaps that exist," said Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick), chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee and the bill's sponsor. "The bills seek to bring about a culture change within our education system so that the talented professionals at the Department of Education can shift from ensuring compliance to assisting schools with on the ground – or in the classroom – support. We need educators, not regulators."

The second bill would partner the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with local education agencies to make learning more customized to individual districts. The department would work with these agencies to find what parts of the statewide curriculum work well for individual distracts and what areas need improvement, analyzing factors including size, school budget and demographics.

Under the third bill, under-performing schools would receive additional funding and support, while increasing management at the school and district level. In addition, student assessments would be expanded to include different learning styles that just standardized tests, including samples of student work and projects.

"This bill will increase the authority and power of those who know their schools best – the principals, teachers and community members who are fully aware of the their school’s needs and how to best meet these needs," said Rep. Gregg Amore (D-Dist. 65, East Providence), the House sponsor of the bill. "I have spoken with numerous school professionals, in Rhode Island and in Massachusetts, and they tell me such a change would make a significant difference in their ability to properly cultivate the educational environment in order to best serve our children."

New teachers are addressed in the fourth bill, adding a new, instructional piece to the certification process. The bill's sponsors, Sen. James C. Sheehan (D-Dist. 36, North Kingstown, Narragansett) and Rep. Karen Alzate (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket), said doing so would ensure soon-to-be teachers don't just understand the material, but more importantly they understand how to teach students effectively.

The fifth bill would create a certification system for teachers with specialty skills, especially those in STEAM subjects such as engineering, technology, science, the arts and math. The bill is intended to help districts find qualified specialty teachers more easily.

The sixth bill also concerns new teachers, proposing the creation of an evaluation system. Evaluations would apply to both new teachers and administrators and is aimed at addressing performance issues more quickly while focusing on student learning.

The seventh and final bill would make it easier for principals to be certified by creating a mandatory fast-track program in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Applicants to the program would be required to have at least a decade of experience as an "effective" or "highly effective" teacher, a master's degree, leadership experience and a letter of recommendation from the superintendent of their school district.