Providence supt. unveiling plan tonight

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A major step is coming Monday night in the overhaul of some of the most troubled schools in Providence, with the city's superintendent laying out a plan to get the city's five worst-performing schools back in line.

Supt. Tom Brady is making his proposal based on recommendations from parents and teachers from the capital city's lowest performing schools -- who don't want what happened in Central Falls happening to them.

Early this year, State Education Commissioner Deborah Gist named the six lowest performing schools in the state. Five of those schools are in Providence:

• Feinstein High School
• Feinstein Elementary School
• Roger Williams Middle School
• Health Science and Technology High School
• Charlotte Woods Elementary School

The sixth school on the list, of course, was Central Falls High School, where just days ago the city school superintendent fired every teacher.

Students at Roger Williams Middle School say their teachers are not the problem.

"My teachers are funny, but at the same time they know how to get the work done," said Erin Batista, a student at the school. "It's a low performing school because the kids on the tests don't try hard enough."

Last week, a group of community leaders, parents, and teachers from the lowest performing Providence schools came up with their recommendations on how to improve schools, including extending the school day, more professional training and parent involvement.

Supt. Brady is announcing his recommendation at Monday night's meeting, before he submits a written recommendation to state education commissioner Gist.

Gist will make the final decision.