Providence Student Union

Controversy Follows Gist to the Statehouse

Elisabeth Harrison — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:17:17 +0000

Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist urged lawmakers to pass a series of bills aimed at improving school safety in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting during her State of Education speech on Tuesday. She also urged passage of the governor’s budget which increases funding for public schools, colleges and universities.

Most Adults Fail the Mock NECAP Test

Flo Jonic — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:23:24 +0000

NECAP, the standardized test that’s become a requirement for high school graduation in Rhode Island, may be harder than most people think. A majority of adults who took a portion of the math test last weekend failed to make the grade.

Providence Student Union works to empower students

Elisabeth Harrison — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:19:57 +0000

Students protest high stakes testing in Rhode Island and Providence puts a history teacher in a physics classroom. These are some of the most heated controversies recently on the education beat. But there’s a little known force behind both of these stories. It’s a student group called the Providence Student Union. Co-founder Aaron Regunberg is a recent Brown graduate. Elisabeth Harrison asked him how he became an activist in the public schools.

To test, or not to test?

Elisabeth Harrison — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:51:36 +0000

State education officials are defending standardized testing as a graduation requirement starting with the class of 2014. Students opposing so-called "high stakes testing" staged a protest yesterday at the Statehouse.

State Education Commissioner Deborah Gist responded by saying her goal is to make sure students finish high school with the right skills for college or a career. If the testing rule took effect this year, 44 percent of seniors would be at risk for not graduating.

Battle over high stakes testing begins anew

Elisabeth Harrison — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:21:01 +0000

A group calling itself the Providence Student Union will ask for an end to high stakes testing this week. Starting with the class of 2014, Rhode Island students will not be allowed to graduate unless they get a score of "partially procficent" on the standardized test known as the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP).

Students ask state to reconsider high stakes testing

Flo Jonic — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:41:19 +0000

A coalition of students, teachers, parents and community leaders will come together Wednesday to ask Governor Lincoln Chafee to end high stakes testing.