Gist pushing forward with five-plan reform plan

CHARTING A COURSE: Fresh off receiving a new contract, R.I. Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist plans to move forward with efforts to close the state’s perceived skills gap. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
CHARTING A COURSE: Fresh off receiving a new contract, R.I. Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist plans to move forward with efforts to close the state’s perceived skills gap. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

Armed with a new two-year contract, Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist says she’s staying the course with her five-year plan to transform education in Rhode Island – including closing the skills gap.
With this month’s renewal of her contract, following criticism from teachers’ unions about the NECAP requirement and Gist’s leadership style, the commissioner said the state must do more to close the skills gap – the gap between available jobs and qualified workers – than just continue to push forward with education standards that include the New England Common Assessment Program, or NECAP, as part of high school graduation requirements.
“There are many things we’re doing to close the skills gap,” Gist said last week. “In addition to having our students leave high school with a minimum level of skills, we need more students participating in post-secondary education. We’re not just competing with Massachusetts. We’re competing with the world.”
While coursework and capstone, or senior, projects are also part of high school graduation requirements, Gist said getting students a solid foundation through high school is just a start in building a skilled workforce that can help strengthen the state economy.
“In addition to entry-level people who have a strong work ethic and know how to work with others, job growth in the state – and the nation – requires post-secondary education,” said Gist. That could include traditional college, technical training or apprenticeships, she said.
The state Board of Education approved the two-year renewal of Gist’s contract on June 6, the day before the previous agreement – a three-year contract with a one-year extension – expired.
“I’m very enthusiastic about the two-year contract,” said Gist. “We’re going to continue tirelessly implementing the five-year strategic plan we developed working with parents, students, teachers and community and business leaders across the state.” That guiding document, “Transforming Education in Rhode Island: Strategic Plan 2010-2015” has several priorities, including to “ensure educator excellence.”
The goal in that category is “all educators will be effective and committed to accelerating student performance.”
One of the major criticisms of that perspective, from teachers, has been that many factors can influence a student’s academic progress, such as poverty or a lack of adequate academic support at home. So teachers, many educators say, should not be evaluated so heavily on student academic progress.
“Evaluation is being implemented for all educators – teachers and principals and for me,” said Gist. “It’s based on multiple measures. They are not being evaluated solely on student performance.”
Some of those measures include classroom observation, leadership in school, involvement with parents and contribution to the school community, she said.
“No one is expected to be a miracle worker,” said Gist. “Some educators can take a group of students and move them along significantly academically. We want to recognize teachers who are doing a great job and find out how they’re doing it and use them to inspire others.”
Along with the emphasis on teacher evaluations, Gist said she will receive quarterly evaluations of her own performance, which she said she welcomes but which hasn’t been done consistently during the time she’s been working in Rhode Island.
Some in the teachers’ unions said even a closer monitoring of Gist’s performance is not enough.
“While it appears the Board of Education did put Commissioner Gist on probation because of her inability to lead, our members still believe their voices need to be heard,” said Patrick Crowley, spokesman for the National Education Association Rhode Island, one of two teachers’ unions in the state.
In May, nearly 700 teachers attended a public hearing sponsored by the teachers’ unions where many voiced their criticism of Gist. Some categorized Gist as a “bully,” unresponsive to teacher input on educational issues, overly wedded to time-consuming, standardized testing and teacher evaluations, and a leader who never looked back to see if anyone was following. Many teachers have urged changes in policies supported by Gist, the Board of Education and the Rhode Island Department of Education.
“We will be engaged in both active and passive resistance to RIDE policies we believe are not in the best interest of students, parents and teachers,” said Crowley.
“I meet with teachers every week and do focus groups and surveys,” said Gist. “I’m going to meet with teachers and get their ideas. In order to respond to what we’re hearing, I need very specific ideas from them on how to better engage and communicate with them.”
Many in the business community have supported Gist and said they are pleased with the renewal of her contract.
“We’ve been engaged with Commissioner Gist for a number of years. I sit on one of the committees engaged in education-reform efforts,” said Janet Raymond, senior vice president for economic development and operations for the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. “I think it’s important to keep the momentum going in the right direction. I believe it will take more time to implement some of her efforts.
“She’s really working to prepare our students for jobs of the future,” said Raymond.
Gist has met with manufacturing leaders who are encouraging more education and training opportunities for Rhode Island students to prepare for those jobs of the future, including advanced manufacturing.
“There are a lot of folks accusing her of trying to do too much too fast,” said Bill McCourt, executive director of the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association. “But when you look at education and where we are today, it is kind of crisis management.
“It can be painful. Ask any business leader who’s been through change – and they all have – it’s a painful process,” said McCourt. •

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