The recent application to expand the Achievement First charter school in Providence is a controversial one that has generated a great level of consternation within the educational community. In order to better understand what is at play with this material, Councilman Sam Zurier filed a report with City Council and allowed me to interview him so to discuss his findings.

Simultaneously, Linda Borg reported on December 2:

State Education Commissioner Ken Wagner strongly endorsed an application by Achievement First charter school to more than triple its current enrollment to 3,112 students by 2026-2027. Wagner, in a lengthy brief to the Council of Elementary and Secondary Education, concluded that the charter school proposal is “both academically and economically prudent and will result in high-quality academic opportunities for Rhode Island’s students — particularly for the approximately 15,000 students that currently attend a Providence school that’s been identified for many years as in need of dramatic improvement.”

[pdfviewer width=”100%” height=”849px” beta=”true/false”]https://rimediacoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/11-30-Electronic-Cover-letter-and-Report.pdf[/pdfviewer]

Simultaneously, Jaisal Noor at The Real News Network hosted Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report to discuss the background of Betsy Devos, Donald Trump’s proposed Education Secretary.

Previous Coverage of Education Featured Here

• Interview with Prof. Shawgi Tell on his book Charter School Report Card
• Rethinking Computer Science in Rhode Island
• PTU’s Maribeth Calabro on Charter School Expansion
• The Newest Foe Of Neoliberal Education Deform: The American Catholic Church?