“Status Quo Will Not Improve Anything” - Gaines Fires Back at Pearson and Cano at Education Hearing
Thursday, February 04, 2021
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Sen.Pearson who has not visited a Prov. School Jo Eva Gaines 60 years in education
Rhode Island Senate Education Committee Chair Sandra Cano delayed the consideration of long-time education leader Jo Eva Gaines' reappointment to the state board of education to the end of Wednesday’s Senate Education Committee.
Gaines, a woman who taught in Newport Schools for nearly three decades, served on the Newport School Committee for nearly two decades, and has served a number of times on the states education board going back to 1985 was the only appointment or reappointment that faced any pointed questions by the committee.
Cano, who represents Pawtucket and previously served on the Pawtucket City Council and School Committee and Senator Ryan Pearson, the self-proclaimed expert in the Senate on education issues, chided Gaines over her vote to expand charter schools.
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Pearson admitted to GoLocal last week that he has never visited a Providence Public School despite it being the largest district in the state with nearly 25,000 students.
“That vote [for the expansion of charter schools] was born out of frustration. The lack of frustration in those schools Providence and Central falls in particular,” said Gaines.
She cites failed efforts to improve these urban schools going for more than 35 years. And while Providence and Central Falls schools get all the press - negative press -- Pawtucket schools perform equally poorly.
“There have been three generations of students since I first went on the board of education [in 1985] who had a hit or miss education and the reports indicate that the majority of those students had a missed opportunity,” said Gaines.
“We can’t continue on the path. We have to do better. The status quo will not improve anything,” added Gaines.
Then-Newport school committee chair and Rhode Island Association of School Superintendents board member Gaines has received the 2017 Paul W. Crowley Award -- just one of the many education awards she has received over her 60-year career in education.
Providence was ranked among the worst school districts in the United States and the Wall Street Journal called Providence schools a “House of Horrors.”
Cano’s Pawtucket Record
Pawtucket schools rank similarly and in some cases below Providence Schools.
SEE SLIDESHOW BELOW OF THE POOREST PERFORMING MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN RI
Pawtucket’s Slater Middle School only 6% of EnglishLanguage Arts (ELA) students meet expectations in tests and 7% for math.
Less than 1% on each test exceed expectations.
At Pawtucket’s Joseph Jenks Middle School just 8% meet expectations for ELA and just 6% for math. Again, less than 1% of either test exceed expectations.
Cano did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Ultimately, Gaines reappointment was approved by the Committee.
Related Slideshow: Rhode Island’s Worst Performing Middle Schools - July 1, 2019
All numbers have been rounded. Schools listed at those in which the percentage of Fails to Meet Expectations and Partially Meets Expectations Combine for 80% for either English Language Arts (ELA) or Math.
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Johnston
Nicholas Feri Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 27% Math 22%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 54% Math 61%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 18% Math 16%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 1 Math <1
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Cranston
Hugh Bain Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 37% Math 38%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 52% Math 54%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 11% Math 8%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
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Woonsocket
Woonsocket Middle School - Hamlet
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 45% Math 45%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 46% Math 48%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 8% Math 7%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1% Math 0
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Woonsocket
Woonsocket Middle School - Villa Nova
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 41% Math 40%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 49% Math 54%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 10% Math 7%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1% Math 0
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Providence
Roger Williams Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 60% Math 56%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 36% Math 41%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 4% Math 2%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 0 Math 0
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Pawtucket
Samuel Slater Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 48% Math 40%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 44% Math 53%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 6% Math 7%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
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Pawtucket
Joseph Jenks Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 44% Math 37%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 47% Math 56%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 8% Math 6%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
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Central Falls
Dr. Earl E. Calcutt Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 55% Math 59%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 38% Math 37%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 6% Math 4%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 0
Has been under state management for approximately 20+ years
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Providence
Esek Hopkins Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 49% Math 45%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 43% Math 51%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 8% Math 4%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 0
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Providence
Gilbert Stuart Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 60% Math 56%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 36% Math 41%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 3% Math 3%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 0 Math 0
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Providence
Governor Chris DelSesto Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 64% Math 56%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 33% Math 41%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 3% Math 3%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 0
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Providence
Nathan Bishop Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 51% Math 50%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 35% Math 40%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 13% Math 10%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 1 Math <1
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Providence
West Broadway Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 52% Math 52%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 42% Math 42%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 6% Math 6%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
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Charter
Paul Cuffie
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 23% Math 22%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 59% Math 59%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 17% Math 19%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math 1
Test results are for the entire school, not just the middle school
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Newport
Frank E. Thompson Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 30% Math 28%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 47% Math 53%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 21% Math 19%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA 1 Math <1
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West Warwick
John F. Deering Middle School
Not Meeting Expectation: ELA 23% Math 27%
Partially Meeting Expectations: ELA 55% Math 57%
Meeting Expectation: ELA 22% Math 16%
Exceeding Expectations: ELA <1 Math <1
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