Friday, June 17, 2011

Always Nice to See Deb Gist Knocked Down a Peg

Jennifer Jordan for the ProJo:

PROVIDENCE –– Against the recommendation of Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist, the state’s education policy board Thursday approved a modest increase in the number of students at a nine-year-old charter school that has struggled with low math scores.

The Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education voted 6 to 1 in favor of the expansion of Blackstone Academy, a public charter high school serving at-risk youth from Central Falls and Pawtucket. Two regents were absent; only Chairman George D. Caruolo voted against the 11-student expansion, from 154 students to 165.

It’s the first time in Gist’s two-year tenure that the board has publicly voted against one of her recommendations on a policy-related issue.

I don't really have a problem with moderate expansions of community-based charters. I'm a little worried that bumping up enrollment will become like hitting the ATM, but that should be manageable.

The fact of the matter is that Gist has been remarkably hostile to most of the charter sector in RI, except the ones she considers her friends.

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