Elorza Goes All In … But is it deep enough?

There’s no mistaking it; some RI public schools are at the pit of a crisis that might prove irreversible. On the hill, state leadership scrambles for resolution, bickering over details and debating the value of education as they clamber to regain control of a problem that should have been addressed a decade ago. But in the capital, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza is pushing ahead with the All In Campaign, a series of initiatives designed to make the city, “the highest performing urban education system in the country.” Ambitious? You bet. 

A little history. In April 2017, 400 parents, students, educators, entrepreneurs and community leaders met to outline concerns and needs pertaining to education in the state. The summit’s key findings were then outlined in an ambitious white paper that recommended “robust” planning and remapping of school facilities founded upon “a strong emphasis on community engagement.” Known as All In, Elorza has earmarked $400 million to be invested in Providence public school infrastructure over the coming decade. 

Jorge Elorza inherited a school system already deeply fractured long before he took office. “There is an assumption that these initiatives were in response to the Hopkins Report,” explains Elorza press secretary Victor Morente, “but actually we submit five-year plans to the state, and we created the plan that launched this initiative.”

“Providence students deserve to learn in schools that are welcoming and that inspire them to succeed,” commented the mayor in a statement to Motif. “This investment is a value statement that tells our students we are ‘All In’ for their education.”

But will it be enough? Hundreds of millions of dollars may sound impressive, but in the case of Providence schools, such sums might not cover the bill. One thing is for sure: When the state Council of Elementary and Secondary Education (CESE) permitted the state’s education commissioner extensive authority to intercede in the city’s public schools back in July, a rogue element was added to the mix. With that, there are no guarantees of what might come next.

The problem with decay is that it isn’t localized; what’s happening in Providence is symptomatic of conditions in district schools across the state. “Marjorie” is a district middle school teacher in neighboring Pawtucket. I asked her about the takeover and what impact she feels the mayor’s initiatives might make, as well as the propositions outlined by the CESE: “I hope [the takeover] works. I have heard and read that Massachusetts’ approach to its takeover of districts like Lawrence have been successful; at least, in terms of students improving their math and reading performances/scores.

“But — according to what I’ve read, and I could be wrong — they don’t address some of the deeper issues that the problems stem from, such as students’ trauma and school- and district-wide negative morale. Obviously, test scores are indicators of growth and proficiency, so we should try to improve them. In my opinion, though, test preparation is not the most important element of a good education. Clean, safe schools and a plethora of extracurriculars (especially those that are tailored to the students’ interests and needs) are.” 

Parents are equally as uncertain. “Daniella,” 32, is a mother with three children in the XXX school system. “Daniella” holds down a demanding corporate job, balancing the stresses that come with raising a young family with the pressure to succeed in the world of big business. And for “Daniella,” repairing the damage of neglect needs to begin with equipping teachers. 

“Teachers are incredibly undervalued and limited in terms of how they can best support their students. I have teacher friends who were told they could not send home supply lists for their students, and instead had to go out and buy them all out of pocket because they’re not provided a budget. If teachers aren’t supported, how can they then be prepared to ensure the students are?” 

Not that “Daniella” sees any difference in her paycheck: “Lots of taxes are already being paid,” she says, “but they’re cutting teachers and janitors, using books from the ’70s to teach kids. Who will foot the tens of millions for this latest bill? It’s a downward spiral and unfortunately, our children are the victims.”

“Marjorie” agrees, citing a critical shortage of resources, “particularly for facilities improvements … and a lack of important materials” at the core of the rot. 

“Class sets of books” she explains, “many are quite literally falling apart and are about 30 years old, so teachers frequently must decide between making students read on computers, printing out the readings, or buying books on their own. 

“One class-set of books could cost more than $250, and considering the fact that teachers have to buy things like pencils, notebooks, paper, folders and binders for students already, that purchase is probably a bit of stretch.”

And even if the money was there, Providence public schools are crippled with problems that can’t be solved by the mighty dollar. Bureaucratic complications, tangled processes and convoluted paper pushing surround the crisis like hairs on a coconut. As outlined in the Hopkins Report, the district “is overburdened with multiple overlapping sources of governance and bureaucracy with no clear domains of authority and very little scope for transformative change. The resulting structures paralyze action, stifle innovation and create dysfunction and inconsistency across the district.” 

Gut-wrenching stuff. So, what next? The only way to amend bureaucracy and asphyxiation in the workplace is to empower those crushed under the weight of the paper, and Elorza works to connect with the people of PVD and work with them and in their interests. His latest initiative, the All In school clean-up days at the end of August, was aimed at general maintenance and preparation so that schools would be clean and tidy come the opening of the doors. It seems to have been a success, with the project drawing more than 225 volunteers between the four locations where cleanups were held. 

“The city is thankful to all those who supported the efforts,” comments Morente, before citing Tufts Health Plan, the Los Angeles de la Comunidad, Olneyville Neighborhood Association and Calle Limpia among the many organizations that backed the initiative. Elorza and his team are certainly trying. 

Yet, in spite of all the honest intentions of the mayor’s office, there remains a separation between the experience of the constituent and the workings of the elected official. “Despite what happens at the top, I think we don’t put enough emphasis on our children,” comments “Daniella.” “We’re taking so much away from the schools and putting nothing back in … and then we wonder why our youth struggle academically and behaviorally.”

“Daniella” is right; there is a lot to wonder about in PVD’s school system. Whether Mayor Elorza’s All In campaign can bridge the gap without going bankrupt mid-process very much remains to be seen. 

For a teacher’s view on the state’s takeover, go to motifri.com/teacherview