Improving the educational climate in Rhode Island – Ed Bastia
By Ed Bastia, Rhode Island Families for School Choice – Op-Ed – commentary The current government-run model of a “one size fits all” Education al system in Rhode Island is no longer working. Current Education al options in our larger urban populations are simply not servicing our students. Attendance and graduation rates are poor, while at the same time, students are falling behind national averages in English Language Arts (ELA) Science and Math. Yet, the Department of Education reports spending almost $2.4 Billion this year. Flying in the face of this monstrous cost, the teachers’ unions are intimating that more funding is needed to improve programs and to better reward teachers. Currently, Rhode Island spends $19,000 on average for each pupil. How much more funding is needed? How much longer are we, the citizens of Rhode Island, willing to wait for this purported enhancement? The General Assembly is currently reviewing six pieces of legi...