The state commissioner of Rhode Island has recommended a five-year renewal for a failing charter school.
The New England Laborers Construction and Career Academy has earned a one-star rating, the lowest possible ranking in the state’s school accountability system, for the past two years. Critics have long complained that charter schools are not held to the same standards as traditional public schools.
CRANSTON — The commissioner of education has recommended a five-year renewal for a charter school despite at least four years of failing academic achievement, low graduation rates and a poor track record for placing graduates in construction jobs.
The New England Laborers Construction and Career Academy, a statewide charter that draws mostly from Cranston, opened in 2002 to create a pathway for high school students interested in construction careers. It also offers a separate career strand called the World of Work, which allows students to explore other career options. The current enrollment is 175 students…
The laborers academy has earned a one-star rating, the lowest possible ranking in the state’s school accountability system, for the past two years. For the previous two years, it was listed as a “focus” school, meaning its performance merited substantial help from the Education Department.
Laborers academy students also performed poorly on the latest SATs, with less than 16% proficient in English and 0% proficient in math.
In 2018, not one student earned a state-approved credential for the construction industry.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Yet more evidence that all too often charter school advocacy has nothing to do with advancing achievement. Replacement and undermining democratically governed public education is an end goal in and of itself along with profit opportunity. Intentional neglect of public schools serves that goal, lowering taxes for the wealthy, while undermining public confidence in government’s ability to serve the common good.
From a friend:
The school should be closed.
4 years of “failing academic achievement”
Low graduation rates
Students not prepared for jobs
The Commissioner should accommodate Freshmen/Sophomores/ and Juniors to attend another vocational school if they are qualified and have been making satisfactory progress to date including regular attendance.
This should take place in June and the Charter should be cancelled.
I wonder how that state commissioner in Rhode Island is getting his kick-backs from that charter school.
She is Angelica Infante Green.
Thank you for correcting me.
How is “she” getting her kickbacks or will Angelica Infante Green’s big payday come after she returns to the private sector and ends up with a multi-million dollar book deal for a book that doesn’t sell well, or she ends up with a job in the private sector for Koch Industries or the Walton family or with a business owned by Eli Broad or goes to work for the Bill Gates Foundation … with an annual salary that pays six to eight figures?
How much is Arny Duncan earning now?
In 2013, Duncan’s net worth was less than $18 million. Today it is close to $90 million. It is obvious to me, that the bribe doesn’t get paid until after they have served their master as a public servant.
https://www.opensecrets.org/personal-finances/net-worth?cid=N99999939&year=2010
How could Arne Duncan’s net worth go from $18 million to $80 million while he was still in office. How did he get $18 million while working in Chicago city government?
Open Secrets didn’t explain how he went from $18 to $90 million. The how is probably not an Open Secret but is well hidden, better than Trump’s out in the open secrets.
Green was appointed by hedge fund champion, Gov. Raimondo.
From a 2016 article in the Providence News Journal, “Blackstone Valley Prep has relied on the diocese to expand its growing network of charter schools in northern Rhode Island… (the charter’s spokesperson said), at this point, we have invested $3 mil. in different leases with the diocese….(The superintendent of Catholic schools was quoted), We’ve closed 22 Catholic schools since the first charter opened, about 24 charters have opened.”
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been a strong supporter of parental school choice since the beginning of the campaign.
The nation has a lot to fear from the political activities of religions aligned with libertarians.
Democrats….especially so called moderate centrists…….are scared manureless to give charter schools the attention they deserve, in the area of damage to public education. God forbid they offend important corporate big shots. Democrats…….show some courage, and quit worrying about how ridiculously safe you have to be in challenging a perverted crook regarding his re-election chances.
National media outlets are negligent or, they’re afraid to expose the totality of political successes attributable to the axis of Catholic bishops, state Catholic Conferences and oligarch-influenced politicians.