NEW: Board of Regents Approves Achievement First Mayoral Academy

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Thursday, February 02, 2012

GoLocalProv News Team

The Board of Regents voted five to four today to approve the application for an Achievement First Mayoral Academy in Providence submitted last September by Rhode Island Mayoral Academies in partnership with Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.

The approved application will allow Achievement First to plan for the opening of two elementary schools in Providence serving students from Providence, Warwick, North Providence and Cranston. The first school will open in 2013 and the second in 2014. Both schools will begin at the kindergarten and first-grade levels and incrementally build on an additional grade each year.

In addition to receiving the support of hundreds of residents, the application was supported by Mayors Scott Avedisian, Allan Fung and Charles Lombardi; Providence City Council President Michael Solomon; Providence City Councilors David Salvatore and Sabina Matos; the Providence School Board; Dr. Pablo Rodriguez (President of the Latino Public Radio); Neil Steinberg (the Rhode Island Foundation); Providence Superintendent Susan Lusi and Elizabeth Burke Bryant (RI Kids Count), among many other community leaders.

“We are appreciative of the thoughtful consideration by the Board of Regents, and for the steadfast support this application has received from so many members of the community,” said Christine Lopes, chief strategy officer for Rhode Island Mayoral Academies. “This is an exciting opportunity to bring the Mayoral Academy model to Providence and the surrounding communities and we have every confidence that Achievement First will build on their record of success in New York and Connecticut here in Rhode Island.”

“Achievement First appreciates the Board of Regents’ substantive and deliberate review of our application,” said Reshma Singh, vice president of external relations for Achievement First. “We are honored to join the many others who seek to provide more excellent school options for Rhode Island students and families. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to improve educational outcomes for every child in Rhode Island.”

In the coming months, Achievement First will work with the Rhode Island Department of Education to meet their readiness criteria, which includes developing student recruitment strategies and locating facilities.

 

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