Poli-ticks

Governor's State of the State was best one yet

By Arlene Violet
Posted 1/24/19

Even if the reader doesn’t like Governor Gina Raimondo, you'd have to admit that her State of the State address was well-crafted and well-delivered. In fact, the Governor seems to have grown …

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Poli-ticks

Governor's State of the State was best one yet

Posted

Even if the reader doesn’t like Governor Gina Raimondo, you'd have to admit that her State of the State address was well-crafted and well-delivered. In fact, the Governor seems to have grown into her job. Her calm but emphatic delivery was a far cry from her first four speeches.

Her most important initiative was to expand preschool education toward an ultimate goal of universal pre-kindergarten education. She is undoubtedly correct that children who go to high-quality (emphasis) preschool are more likely to be successful in K-12, higher education, and higher-paying jobs. Key, of course, to this assertion is to mandate standards for quality education, otherwise it is throwaway money for babysitting. Therein lies the rub. Standards have to be set and maintained throughout each grade in and following pre-school. In the latter regard, she and legislative leaders have been powder-puffs and have failed to challenge Rhode Island’s moribund educational system. Her Commissioner of Education has been too meek in demanding accountability.

Governors look to their legacy during their second time-restricted term. Hers can be that of the education governor or, if she is jockeying for a higher post, as another one who talked big but acted little rather than challenge the teacher unions. So far the jury is out on which path she will take although, to date, it is troubling that she hasn’t done much to further educational excellence. It also was a bit disconcerting for her to be praising the results of her CCRI free tuition project since graduation for those enrolled is still spectral. Far too many of the courses there are remedial, in that they are teaching skills that should have been learned years before in school.

The Governor several times also praised teachers throughout her speech. Certainly, the kudos were deserved by those educators who truly take their job seriously. Yet, the test scores show a different picture of teaching prowess. She seemed to be pandering to them.

So, despite pledges to give free tuition for the last 2 years at Rhode Island College and to University of Rhode Island (where President David Dooley stayed seated since he knows a tale or two) the most immediate concern is for the infusion of standards and retraining needed to make the K-12 system a success.

So, the public witnessed an impressive “talking suit” during the speech. Now time will tell if she merely throws money at the problem so she looks like she is doing something or whether she takes action to improve education. Will taxpayers see more aggressive teacher evaluations, retraining of teachers, graduation requirements, and more charter schools? Just how will she run in-state, the parallel to Massachusetts’ higher quality curricula?

Representative Blake Filippi (R-Block Island) was correct in talking about the state’s troubled school system. "The days when unprepared students advance through the school must end…A high-school diploma must mean something again."

It’s up to the Governor and the Democratic leaders to put up or shut up. Noting that it is time for courage to set an ambitious plan and stick to it, the Governor will soon show us whether we saw an excellent exercise of rhetoric during her speech or whether she truly has the guts for which she is calling.

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.

Arlene Violet

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