Rhode Island Teachers Fired: 88 Teachers at Central Falls High

by Michael Small | February 24, 2010 at 11:49 am

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Eighty-eight Rhode Island teachers have been fired after a school board plan to tighten up education in a poor school district was approved.

In a 5-2 vote Tuesday night, the board approved the plan by Frances Gallo, superintendent at Central Falls School District, to discharge the 88 teachers at Central Falls High School.

The district says the decision was made after a proposed deal with the teacher's union to spend more time to with children to improve test scores fell apart due to wage negotiations.

Central Falls High School is one of the lowest-performing high schools in Rhode Island, and the school had two options; either the transformation model (teachers spending more time with students, longer school days, paid professional development in summer etc.) or the turnaround model (firing of teachers).

It is still possible that if the teachers agreed to the initial transformation model deal, they could keep their jobs, but there has been no action taken as of yet.

The terminations will take effect next year.