EXCLUSIVE: State Senate Launches Probe Into Central Falls Schools
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The state Senate has taken the first step toward what could eventually become a full-blown investigation into the management of the Central Falls school system, which is state funded, GoLocalProv has exclusively learned.
Earlier this week, Frank Ciccone, chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Oversight, sent a letter to the chair of the Central Falls School Board, posing a wide range of questions on school climate, the transformation of the high school, and various personnel policies. (The full text of the letter is copied below.)
The letter, dated Aug. 21, comes months after a GoLocalProv investigative series on the management of the district. Those reports revealed that several key administrators had been put on paid leave for extended periods of time and that violence was on the rise in schools—and was not being reported to law enforcement authorities.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Ciccone said those reports—particularly on discipline issues in the schools—triggered action at the Senate level.
Senator wants answers on ‘poor performance’
State Senator James Sheehan, the vice chairman of the committee, told GoLocalProv that the Senate is focusing on the role the administration has had in the performance of Central Falls schools—which he said is necessary after so much attention has been focused on the teachers.
“The Senate Government Committee has requested information from the Central Falls Board of Trustees to determine to what extent its decisions and those of its administrators have or have not contributed to the poor academic performance of many Central Falls students,” Sheehan said.
“Teacher quality in Central Falls has been the focus of national news in recent months,” he added. “In comparison, relatively little attention has been paid to the quality of administrative leadership in Central Falls. If we are truly interested in educational reform, we must leave no stone unturned.”
School Board Chairwoman Anna Cano Morales did not respond to a query for comment.
FULL TEXT of SENATE LETTER
August 21, 2011
Ms. Anna Cano Morales, Chair
Central Falls School District Board of Trustees
21 Hedley Avenue
Central Falls, RI 02863
Dear Chairwoman Morales,
The Committee on Government Oversight is a non-partisan, Senate Committee committed to achieving a state government that is effective, accountable, open and transparent. The committee works in collaboration with various agencies and state supported entities to develop a better understanding of progress measures, expenditures and policies and procedures, with the goal of increasing transparency and accountability. Our most recent review of several state funded entities includes the Central Falls School District and as a result we have identified a few questions and the need for some additional information from the administration.
As part of the process, the committee reviewed the Central Falls High School Transformation: Year One Report dated June 2011. This report raises several questions regarding the school’s progress in the first year of the transformation plan. For example, the report does not address the status of benchmarks and deliverables/outcomes identified in the School Reform Plan, revised October 2010 (Reform Plan).
In follow up to the first year progress report, kindly respond to the following requests for information by September 9, 2011.
The Transformation Plan
1. A strategic goal of the Reform Plan is improved school culture and climate for students, teachers, parents, staff and other stakeholders through improved communication, professionalism, and administrative processes and policies. (Reform Plan, p. 12).
a. Please identify the improved communication, professional and administrative processes and policies in place designed to focus on the culture and climate at the CFHS.
b. Are these policies achieving the intended results?
c. Please detail how results are being measured.
2. The Reform Plan includes the following deliverables/outcomes for the first year:
Develop and administer twice a year a survey that measures student, teacher and parent satisfaction, engagement and school climate; interpret the data and prepare a report and action plans. (Reform Plan, p. 19).
• Please provide a copy of these reports and action plans.
Develop a consistent student discipline policy and administer a survey for feedback regarding the policy. (Reform Plan, p. 19).
• Please provide results of the survey.
• On disciplinary violations and suspensions, please detail the system utilized to record all violations and suspensions, and the frequency of reports sent to police and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE).
• On illegal activity in the school, do the policies address reporting to the police/RIDE and associated student suspensions? Please provide the policy on dealing with illegal activities and student suspensions.
Please provide detail regarding the first year deliverables/outcomes for increasing the high school graduation rate identified on page 25 of the Reform Plan.
Personnel Policies and Procedures
1. Please provide a copy of the board/department’s written policies regarding hiring and conflict-of-interest.
2. Do the written policies of the board/department contain guidance on placing an administrator on paid administrative leave? Please provide a copy of these policies. Additionally, please provide the following detail regarding administrators placed on paid administrative leave for each of the last five years:
a. The number of administrators placed on administrative leave;
b. The date each was placed on administrative leave;
c. The date that each administrator’s contract expired; and
d. The date of each administrator’s last day of employment.
3. Are there policies governing creating a new position? Please provide a copy of these policies and identify all new positions created since July 1, 2010.
Please forward the information and documents to Linda George, Senate Policy Office, SB27 State House, Providence, R.I. 02903 or via e-mail to [email protected]. If you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Linda at (401) 276-5563.
The Committee appreciates your efforts and cooperation in responding to this request for information.
Sincerely,
Senator Frank Ciccone, Chair
Senate Committee on Government Oversight
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