MEA Votes

A school in Rhode Island that gained national attention after it fired it's entire teaching staff after students returned with low testing numbers, is now changing its tune and has rehired back the 87 person staff.

It's a great example of what can happen when educational staff and the districts are able to work to together to do what is in the best interests of the students. From the article - "The two sides said a transformation plan for Central Falls High School for the coming school year would allow the roughly 87 teachers, guidance counselors, librarians and other staffers who were to lose their jobs at the end of this year to return without having to reapply. More than 700 people had already applied for the positions.

The agreement calls for a longer school day, more after-school tutoring and other changes.

"What this means is that they have come to an agreement about a reform effort and that will change the quality" of the education program at Central Falls, said Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist, who applauded both sides for working together."