SK hosts community education forum

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Parents, teachers and students from all over Southern Rhode Island attended a community forum at South Kingstown High School Monday night to discuss the impending implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which is set to replace the No Child Left Behind Act.

The conversations were meant to assist the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) in developing a comprehensive plan for transition to ESSA.

Unlike its predecessor, which had required states to comply with many federal regulations, ESSA puts the responsibility on each state to establish education regulations. ESSA provides flexibility for each state to address issues including academic standards, accountability, support for school improvement, student and educator support and the use of federal education funds.

“We have the ownership to shape how we are going to meet those expectations in a way that makes sense for Rhode Island,” said Mary Ann Snider, deputy commissioner of RIDE, addressed those in attendance Monday night. “So, that’s quite different, and that’s why it’s especially important that all of you are here to help us shape that plan.”

The community forum at South Kingstown High School was the final of five such forums held by RIDE to collect input to inform the implementation of ESSA.

“We have found tremendous value in having students with educators with parents and community members talking about education,” Snider continued. “The conversations have been really rich and informative and have given us lots of really helpful information to frame our thinking about moving forward.”

Snider explained that, while many states are developing their ESSA transition plans from scratch, Rhode Island developed an education strategic plan last year which will assist in the process of developing its plans to transition to ESSA.

“We heard from over 11,000 educators in Rhode Island,” Snider explained, “who helped form this vision. The vision was that all students who graduate from our high schools should be ready to pursue a fulfilling career and be critical and creative thinkers. They should be able to work collaboratively, be self motivated and be culturally-competent citizens.”

Those in attendance were divided between several classrooms, where discussions revolved around a series of guiding questions.

Felicia Brown, a fellow with RIDE, circulated around the classrooms where discussions were being had.

“There were a lot of comments about student choice in academic programs,” Brown said after the forum. “So, how do we let students really explore different options without keeping them to a really restrictive curriculum?”

Brown added that another common theme that was discussed in each group involved supporting students with mental and physical health resources, and making sure that schools are providing resources to address all of a student’s needs.

“I’d look for a school that focuses on the whole child,” said Alycia Collins, South Kingstown school committee member, responding to a question asking what parents look for in a school for their child, “one that staffs a full time librarian, school counselor, health and phys. ed classes given by a certified health and phys. ed teacher, and outdoor time.”

Discussion also zoomed in on the difficulties teachers have when it comes to meeting common core standards.

“In classes like math and English I feel like teachers feel like they have to cover so much and they don’t have a lot of time to cover it, and so a lot of it is given in the form of homework,” said Risha Pellegrino, a health and physical education teacher at Plymouth High School. “So, it’s this vicious cycle — are students really learning or are they just doing the homework to get it done?”

Several parents and community members expressed their desires to be involved in the policy discussions.

Nicole L’Etoile, assistant principal of West Warwick High School, said during the discussion that not enough community members attend meetings, and that it’s imperative that more members of the community get involved in policy initiatives.

“I visualize a big boulder,” L’Etoile said, “and there’s ten of us trying to push this big boulder up, and it keeps coming down, and we keep pushing up, and it keeps coming down. We need more people to join on. We’re not going to move this boulder, the ten of us. We can start it, but we need more people to support it.”

Brown said several community members mentioned that it can be difficult to attend meetings due to scheduling conflicts.

“As was stated, we need more involvement,” said Ida McGhee, former librarian at the University of Rhode Island, during the discussion. “That’s one thing that I find, people don’t have the time and they don’t feel their voice will be heard.”

Stacy Haines-Mayne, president of the Rhode Island Counselor Association, facilitated the discussion in one of the classrooms.

“It’s been very nice to get out there and get the public’s opinion,” Haines-Mayne said after the forum Monday. “But, as a couple people mentioned, I would have loved to see a lot more people — like triple the audience. Every opinion we get is important.”

RIDE will submit its plans for transition to ESSA to the U.S. Department of Education by July of next year, after collecting feedback from community members and gaining approval from the governor. The state’s ESSA transition plans should receive approval by next September.