Status quo prevails in the latest version of a Providence school oversight plan

PROVIDENCE – The state takeover of the Providence schools would remain firmly in the hands of the state education commissioner in the latest version of an oversight plan, though it nudges the K-12 council to exercise its oversight authority, something it hasn’t done to date, critics say.  

The House Education Committee Wednesday passed a watered-down version of Sen. Sam Zurier’s bill, which will go to the full House tomorrow. After speaking with colleagues and community members, Zurier said he would ask the Senate to support the bill. 

This version removes the Providence School Board’s authority over hiring senior staff and setting policy, giving them advisory power only. It does, however, require state Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green to update the school board on how the turnaround plan is going.

State takeover of Providence schools 

The state takeover in November 2019 stripped the school board of most of its authority and invested it with the commissioner.      

“While we prefer the Senate version, I believe the House bill, if enacted, will improve the School Department’s decision-making process and help produce better outcomes for the students in Providence,” Zurier wrote. “I also hope the school department and school board can use the House bill’s structure as a starting point to strengthen collaboration and facilitate the ultimate return of the Providence Public Schools to local control.   

“With that said, I expect the General Assembly to continue to provide legislative oversight to fill in the accountability gaps that still remain in the state’s takeover of the Providence Public Schools.”     

Rep. Rebecca Kislak, the House sponsor, said the latest version of the bill “doesn’t do much. It gives the K-12 council the authority it already has. It pushes the takeover back two years. I hope both sides of the legislation will stay in conversation.”       

Senate Oversight Committee Chairman Louis DiPalma, who has repeatedly bemoaned the lack of oversight by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, said he could live with the revised bill, but only if it goads the council to assume its oversight over education. 

“Yes, I’m disappointed,” he said Wednesday. “This bill is necessary, but not sufficient. My hope is that there will be marked changes under Patti DiCenso, the new leader of the K-12 Council.” 

Amended House oversight bill

The amended House bill is a pale version of Zurier’s original, which sought to create a new board to oversee the takeover. After pushback from the commissioner and Supt. Javier Montanez, Zurier rewrote the measure to invest that authority with the school board. 

But that didn’t satisfy the Department of Education.  

When House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi signaled his support for a bill that largely enshrines the status quo, observers figured it was a done deal. 

In a statement Tuesday, Shekarchi called the House version “a measured approach that puts all stakeholders on notice that we will be monitoring their progress and we’re not happy with the lack of communication so far.” 

Supporters of a more robust oversight were heartened by Shekarchi’s promise to review the issue again when the legislature returns if progress hasn’t been made in the next six months.   

The bill also seems to address one of the biggest criticisms of the K-12 council: that it has failed to provide any oversight of the commissioner. The amended version says that the council must approve any changes to the turnaround plan if the district isn’t meeting its goals.  

It also says that the council “shall adopt” regulations that spell out the end of the takeover and the return of the district to the school board. 

Ty’Relle Stephens, a school board member who has called for more accountability, said the bill is a step in the right direction, adding that it forces the commissioner to answer the board’s questions.   

The Department of Education said it was pleased that the House Education Committee scaled back the original version of the bill, which, it said, would have created additional layers of bureaucracy, identified as a major problem in the Johns Hopkins report on the district.

"The School Board is not here for personal gain, we are here to serve the students and families of Providence Public Schools," said School Board President Kinzel Thomas. "We are prepared to serve in any capacity needed for the betterment of PPSD."  

Linda Borg covers education for The Journal.