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Board of Education, Education Council, RIDE launch strategic-plan development

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All Rhode Islanders invited to participate in planning process

The Board of Education, the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) have invited all Rhode Islanders to participate in the development of the strategic plan for elementary and secondary education.

The process of developing the plan will result in a statewide vision for public education in Rhode Island (prekindergarten through grade 12) through the year 2020.

“Public education is one of the most important and far-reaching investments we make as a society,” said Eva-Marie Mancuso, chair of the Board of Education. “The Board of Education wants to ensure that, as we develop our new strategic plan, the process includes those whom education policy affects most directly. To that end, the Board is inviting all Rhode Islanders to work with us to develop the next Rhode Island strategic plan for public education.”

“In developing our new strategic plan, the Board and the Council will remain committed to transparency, public engagement, and respect for all opinions,” said Patrick A. Guida, Chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. “Throughout the process, we will to work with the entire Rhode Island community to develop the plan. Our goal is to have a plan that guides our work, inspires us toward greatness, brings out the best in all of our students, and includes all Rhode Islanders in its vision.”

“Over the past five years, our work toward transforming education in Rhode Island has moved at a brisk pace, guided by our 2010-2015 Strategic Plan, Transforming Education in Rhode Island,” said Deborah A. Gist, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “It is now time to develop a new plan, one that maintains our commitment to improving public education while setting new priorities, strategies, and goals. Just as the educational environment has changed over the past five years, the planning process must also change. Our new plan will be for, from, and about all Rhode Islanders, and we will build this plan through a community discussion.”

The process will begin with a “statewide conversation” on education, through which thousands of Rhode Islanders will discuss their views on the future of public education. Initially, RIDE is launching a statewide survey on education, and Rhode Islanders are invited to share their views through this brief (five-minute), anonymous survey.

RIDE will post updated survey results at least weekly on the Strategic Plan pages of the RIDE website. The survey will run through the end of the year, following which RIDE will schedule community discussions, small-group discussions, and individual interviews to provide further information to shape the strategic plan.

Additionally, the Board of Education is recruiting 12 to 15 community members who will serve as the Ambassador Design Team, developing and writing the plan over the next seven months. David Moscarelli, the 2015 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year, will facilitate the work of the design team. The team will begin its work in December, with the goal of presenting a final plan to the Board for approval in June 2015.

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