Search

This paper describes Rhode Island's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Race to the Top has provided Rhode Island with the funding needed to carry out a single powerful vision: an education system that prepares all Rhode Island students for success in college, careers, and life. Rhode Island's comprehensive strategic plan, Transforming Education in Rhode Island (RIDE Strategic Plan), continues to form the foundation for the state's Race to the Top implementation. Rhode Island is utilizing a unified, statewide approach toward Race to the Top; the state and participating Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) are working together to build and implement statewide systems of support that benefit all students and educators. Rhode Island has adopted the Common Core State Standards and has held Study of the Standards training sessions with more than 50% of the state's educators in 19 districts in order to prepare for the transition to the Common Core. The training sessions, which continue into year two, will help educators and administrators understand how the Common Core will impact their classroom practice. Rhode Island has engaged in planning activities around enhancing its data systems to support instruction, as well as developing the systems that will support critical activities around instruction and assessment. This included establishing a Data Governance Board to oversee all elements of the data enterprise system and stakeholder engagement. Rhode Island has developed a model educator evaluation system in collaboration with educators from more than 23 school districts and education organizations in Rhode Island. Rhode Island utilized the analysis of student-test-score and graduation-rate data to identify five persistently lowest-achieving (PLA) schools. Through the Protocol for Intervention: Persistently Lowest-Achieving Schools, approved by the Board of Regents, Rhode Island has articulated all roles, responsibilities, and expectations for LEA leadership once a school is identified as PLA and the models recommended for addressing their schools' PLA status. [For the parent document, "Race to the Top Annual Performance Report," see ED529267. For the state summary report, "Race to the Top. Rhode Island Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report]," see ED529328.]

The Rhode Island Commissioner of Education was authorized to appoint and work with a State Standards Council to develop recommendations on the establishment of measurable statewide educational achievement standards at two levels: basic skills and minimum competency. The purpose of setting standards and measuring achievement is to define minimally acceptable performance in those skills that are generally seen as essential by the community at large, and to track the progress of the educational system towards insuring that all students reach an acceptable level. Two lists of objectives, basic skills and minimum competency, were developed by the council. Both include reading, language arts, mathematics, and cultural arts. Basic skills testing should be in grade 4 and grade 6. Minimum competency testing should be in grade 8 and grade 10. A random sample of students should be tested, plus students nominated by local educators or parents as possibly needing extra educational assistance. Norm-referenced tests are adequate for the basic skills testing; tests are being developed for the minimum competency testing. Standards of performance have not yet been set, but should be based on empirical data currently being collected. The state should assist school districts in providing assistance to those students having the greatest difficulty. (BW)