RIDE Has a Plan to Tear Down Mt. Pleasant High School?!

by Dexter Vincent

Mount Pleasant High School (MPHS) is a storied neighborhood landmark with an uncertain future. The Depression-era structure, built in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration, is a “monumental…building in the Collegiate Gothic mode…relatively scarce in Providence,” according to the Providence Preservation Society. Now the Providence [...]

If Education Needs a Revolutionary Idea, No Need to Look Too Far

by Roseanne Camacho

In the late 1990s Len Newman was 50, an experienced and successful teacher of English in Central Falls, when he saw a notice enlisting teachers for the Brown Summer High School. He thought he could do that. He did not expect that the summer would [...]

Where are Providence’s Missing Students?

by Jonathan Howard

In January, the Providence Public School District (PPSD) and the RI Department of Education (RIDE), which oversees the district, proudly shared updates on their “Newer and Fewer” school building renovation plan. The crux of the $500 million plan is to replace or renovate the district’s [...]

30% of Providence Public High School Seniors Expected to Receive Prestigious State Seal of Biliteracy in 2024

by Rebecca Klassen

Miguel Cardona, the U.S. Secretary of Education, has said that “being multilingual opens doors for our students to compete globally.” He states that multilingualism is a superpower that gives students more options in life. In keeping with this, the Seal of Biliteracy was officially recognized [...]

“I don’t think our opinion matters to the people making decisions:”  Providence Plans to Close 360 High School

by Catlin Preston

Questions are many and answers are few for the staff and students of 360 High School. After they received the news that Providence Public School District (PPSD) plans to close their school, they have been given little information to help them understand why their school [...]

PPSD Teachers Struggle to be Heard by the RI Board of Education

by Jonathan Howard

It was cold and dark as hundreds of Providence Public School teachers from all over the district streamed into downtown Providence a week ago Tuesday. They came to attend and, they hoped, influence, the January 30 meeting of Rhode Island’s Council on Elementary and Secondary [...]

Artsliteracy Project Offers Providence Teachers Time-Tested Link Between The Arts And Learning

by Roseanne Camacho

Consider the typical high school class beginning its study of a required novel, perhaps To Kill a Mockingbird.  Books are passed out, students read and discuss as a class or perhaps work groups, answer questions for comprehension, and finally write a paper or take a [...]

Less Conflict, More Collaboration: Zurier Commission Presents a Vision for Providence Schools

by Jonathan Howard

RI Senator Sam Zurier’s (D – Providence) quest to nurture a kinder, gentler and more productive relationship between the Providence Teacher’s Union (PTU) and district leadership appears quixotic on its face. But given where we are, it seems like a long shot worth taking. Observers [...]

URI’s Laboratory Preschool Thrives in Downtown Providence

by Delia C. Hall, Director

From the exterior of 255 Westminster Street, you see the facade of the former Shepard’s Department Store, once a bustling and thriving shopping experience. Look deep into the windows along the street now and you will see a world of play and exploration, of process [...]

Adult Learning Landscape

by Janet Isserlis

Adults in Providence can attend classes to learn English, earn a high school credential, gain skills to obtain licenses as CNA, food service workers or drivers. They can attend classes either in person or online, and often work more than one job while doing so. [...]