Central Falls :Education reform and labor relations in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's economic problems are related its education system and the type of investment decisions the state and communities are making in their schools. On January 7, 2010 the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) released its Strategic Plan The debate is heating up between the teachers unions and the educational administrators.

The key area of conflict is "What will be done with under performing schools." In January the RIDE published its Protocol for Intervention According to the Protocol

Schools identified as persistently lowest-achieving require intervention by the responsible LEA [Local Educational Agency] beginning in the school year following identification by the state. There are four allowable school intervention models: turnaround model, restart model, school closure, or transformation model. If a school identified as a persistently lowest-achieving school has implemented, in whole or in part within the last two years, an intervention that meets the requirements of the turnaround, restart, or transformation models, the school may continue or complete the intervention being implemented.

The first battle in implementing these plans is taking place in Central Falls, where the Superintendent of Schools has just issued pink slips to all faculty members of the high school. In a interview with both the Superintendent, Frances Gallo, and American Federation of Teachers union rep James Parisi, videoed Friday on CBS station WPRI's NewsMakers program scheduled for Sunday February 14th, it is obvious this will be a major watershed for the Rhode Island public education system. That episode of NewsMakers is presented below,



How do you feel about this? Your comments are welcomed.