The other end of the #egriviera, the one not featured in the Projo today. (Photo by Bob Plain)
In its zeal to protect all things that could one day weaken Rhode Island’s working class, the Providence Journal argues that a failing charter school should be saved because “it would be wrong to put those special interests ahead of poor and minority students.” The Projo makes a fair argument, but its central logic could be applied either way. While charters help a small minority of inner city students, they also funnel resources away from the vast majority of them. In a way, inner city charters in Rhode Island cater to the 1 percent of the poor and minority students here.
Just look at the campaign fundraising comparison between Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt and challenger Mike Morin to give you an indication of why I made an early election season prediction that she wouldn’t retain her House seat.
While Anthony Gemma has been the one touting the jobs plan, its Congressman Cicilline who is getting credited with an idea that could ignite Rhode Island’s economy. His “Make it in America” block grant proposal for manufactures won high praise from the Brookings Institute.
By the way, we’ll have more on Gemma’s job plan later today…
Who remembers when Black Point was hidden behind an unmarked footpath on Ocean Road? Here’s hoping DEM doesn’t find nearby Hazard Rocks…
Speaking of fun summertime spots … the Projo profiles the East Greenwich waterfront nightlife, figuring out why us locals call it the EG Riviera. And, thankfully, they didn’t mention either of the two waterfront watering holes the kids who grew up here like to frequent…
The most lasting effect of the down economy: we’re not making babies like we did during the good old days.
Today in 1969, nearly half a million people begin showing up to Max Yasgur’s farm in upstate New York for the most famous musical event of all time. It was likely even a bigger deal than that if you didn’t get the memo to avoid the brown acid…
Props to my family for putting up with my job: my mom lives next door to John DePetro and my brother represents the ACE charter school mentioned above. Thanks gang, for everything…
I’m really disappointed at what I would label intellectual laziness around the issue of public education reform. I expect more rigor and thoughtfulness from those of us who consider ourselves progressives.
Endorsing the Commissioner of Education’s claim that ACE is a failing school is just poor journalism. By virtually every measure other than its math scores, this school would be considered a well performing school. I would hope that progressives would ask: what is it we want our children to know and be able to do? Are we content with the Commissioners decision to use math scores as the deciding measure of what makes for quality education? What do we expect of content? What value system do we want our schools to exemplify. I was not in favor of Achievement First, because they did not do the ground work to build community support but mainly because their philosophy of no excuses is anathema to my progressive values.
As a journalist, I would expect you to do the work to verify the Commissioner’s evaluation standards. For example, compare ACE and all of its indicators to the NE Laborer’s/Cranston Public Schools Career Academy. The Commissioner recommended and the regents approved a three year charter renewal for the Laborer’s Academy. But here are the comparisons:
Making adequate yearly progress: ACE-yes, Laborers – no
Proficient in math: ACE – 0%, Laborers -6%
Proficient in reading: ACE- 81%, Laborers – 55%
Proficient in writing: ACE- 64%, Laborers – 4%
Chronic absenteeism: ACE – 23%, Laborers – 65%
Attendance: ACE – 93%,Laborers – 81%
5 Year Graduation Rate – ACE 89.4%, Laborers – 67.7%
Now I’m not arguing that the Laborers should have been recommended for closure as like ACE there is much more to its mission than these numbers suggest.
But as a progressive, I wonder why a a district charter school (which is under the jurisdiction of the Providence Public School Dept, not an outside group and thus it would be hard to characterize this school as taking money away from the district when it is part of the district) that also happens to have unionized teachers is being targeted for closure.
Full disclosure: I sent my three children to Providence Public Schools because I firmly believe in the role of public education in our democracy. I am also on the board of Blackstone Academy Charter School which is a independent charter high school – which I’d like to remind you is also a public school – that serves Central Falls and Pawtucket students. This school was recently listed as a commended school, and what makes me particularly proud of the school is that we are a progressive school, founded on the Essential School Model that includes a commitment to democracy and equity, something that I have found lacking in my own children’s public school education. I invite you to come visit us this fall when school is in session. We do not wish to keep our approach to teaching hidden away and out of reach from other public school students. It is only in the last few years that the district schools have now just begun to accept our offer to discover what we have learned.