Rhode
Island Education Policy
Rhode Island's Comprehensive Education Strategy (CES) is the state's
blueprint for comprehensive system-wide restructuring of the state's public schools. It
was developed by a broadly representative panel appointed by Governor Lincoln C. Almond
and Commissioner Peter McWalters. Many citizens participated and engaged in spirited
dialogue at public hearings with panel members and with one another. The result is a true
Rhode Island product with suggested approaches and general policy positions that can work
for every school in every community. But it is important to note that this is not a
one-size-fits-all requirement. Every community must take its own path to the goal of high
achievement for all students.
There are two central themes within CES, and each of these has three main
policy directions.
| Improving Teaching and Learning |
Creating Responsive and Supportive Systems |
Describes efforts designed to support and guide
the core teaching and learning activities that occur at the school level. The three policy
directions under this category are:
- High standards -- or meeting the demands of the 21st century
- Accountability and Assessment -- or the way we know how well our students are doing
- Accountability and School Improvement -- or how each school knows its students and
organizes to meet their needs
|
Describes the processes in the system that provide support
and guidance for the core teaching and learning activities. The three policy directions
under this category are:
- Opportunities for All to Achieve High Standards -- or how each school has the capacity
to meet the needs of its students
- Community and Family Involvement -- or how the people inside and outside the school
building work together as the school community
- Broad Policy and Political Support -- or how education becomes Rhode Island's top
priority
|
The Comprehensive Education Strategy is focused on producing great
results for ALL KIDS. This means:
high expectations - all students should have access
to and be expected to master challenging content;
high performance - all students should be expected to
learn at high levels of performance;
alternative paths to learning - all students should
have available to them the full variety of instructional strategies, differentiated
curriculum materials, multi-faceted assessment, and individualized support (generically
termed "accommodations") to succeed in the 21st century;
all students should become productive citizens,
workers, and lifelong learners.
The CES calls for all parts of the system to work
toward a common goal of improving student performance. At the district and state level,
all the partners with authority to influence educational system -- the Governor, the
General Assembly, the Board of Regents, school committees, etc. -- must ensure that
policies and programs are connected and directed toward the common purpose of improving
achievement for all students.
It is the state's responsibility to support local education by:
supporting the discussion about the high academic
content standards contained in state frameworks in English language arts, mathematics,
science, and health (educational technology is integrated throughout each framework);
measuring student progress towards these standards;
setting student performance standards that describe
different proficiency levels -- in other words, "how good is good enough?"
providing schools with technical assistance and
supporting quality teacher preparation and professional development;
providing help to failing schools and formally
intervening if necessary; and
advocating for a focused, equitable, and enhanced
investment in education.
However, it is at the school community level that
the environment for high-quality learning must be created and sustained. School
communities must consider how the Comprehensive Education Strategy can help inform local
efforts to improve student performance and accountability. The strategy envisions the
school at the center of the work. Decisions are made close to the learner; schools are
communities of learners; schools strive for continuous improvement; schools have the
resources they need; and schools are accountable for results. Student-centered, flexible,
and responsive policies, programs, and resource allocations are in place everywhere.
At the heart of the strategy is the commitment to "all
kids" achieving at high levels. In order for all students to progress continuously
and perform to high standards, school communities must recognize the diversity of learning
needs in every classroom. Continued building of the capacity to utilize a variety of
instructional and curricular approaches will assure that flexible and responsive supports
are consistently provided in each classroom.
The Comprehensive Education Strategy contains important information,
policy directions, and details on what is needed. But, it is NOT a top down,
one-size-fits-all type response. Instead, it represents an agreement that Rhode Island
needs to invest in education, a unity of vision about focusing the investment on high
standards, and wholehearted support for accountability for results. The way to get these
results -- high achievement for all students -- remains a decision for local districts and
schools.
For a copy of the CES, please call 222-8471.