Two events happened last week which promised to be steps in the right direction where education is concerned. Regrettably, the progress took a regressive step as well. Here is the skinny.

Forward Ho!
Governor Gina Raimondo and Mayor Jorge Elorza announced a “deep dive” into the problems facing the Providence schools. A team of experts appointed by the Rhode Island Department of Education will conduct a 60 day review which will result in a report outlining what needs to be done. Of some concern is the pronouncement by the mayor that the top-to-bottom review will look at all the laws, the policies, and the regulations which stand in the way of progress. What should be the starting point is the teacher contract which authorizes chronic absenteeism among the teachers. Last year a Providence Journal article documented that there is a 58 percent teacher chronic absenteeism, defined as 11 or more days absent during the school year.( February 15, 2018). It isn’t a stretch to conclude that where almost 6 out of 10 hired teachers are not in the classroom that this fact is THE major reason for a lack of instruction continuity. Students cannot learn in an environment as long as teachers change as often as folks change their socks! As the reader will see below, the “step backward" by the RI House of Representatives in giving its imprimatur on continuing the contract in existence ratifies this heinous process. Yet, as long as the report’s recommendations are implemented, there is hope that it won’t be a paper tiger. Whether the state would take over the education of Providence students is an open question.

Another positive step is the promised unveiling of so-called “game-changing” education bills by the legislative leadership. A statewide curriculum is expected to be implemented, aligned with common core standards. The power to hire would be shifted from the school committee to the principal and the local "school improvement team” who will identify what is needed in the everyday operation of that school. As long as the “improvement team” has representatives from the business community and PTA members along with educators this step could be effective. The “reform” geared toward lower performing schools is supposed to mirror the steps taken in Massachusetts for intervention.

Yet, there is a troubling aspect to this "reform”, i.e. that it is being introduced at the end of the legislative session, thereby limiting the vetting time for discussion. Suspicions rightly arise given the state's penchant for ramming through legislation of dubious merit at the conclusion of the term.

Step Backward
Over the vehement objections of mayors and town administrators from both political parties, the democrats in the RI House rammed through legislation which extends expired municipal and teacher contracts indefinitely. The unions wanted this legislation because past sweetheart deals can now continue unabated. Rhode Island republican legislators who largely voted against the bill correctly noted that this will "put a thumb on the scale” in favor of unions and inevitably lead to property tax increases. Representative Vella-Wilkinson who sponsored the bill should get an Academy award nomination for her impassioned but incorrect speech that it doesn’t give an unfair advantage to the unions in negotiating contracts. Hogwash!

If the legislation emerges it remains to be seen whether the governor chickens out and doesn’t veto it.

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.