“Every child has the right to a free public education; it is the bedrock of the American dream and the hope for American success in the twenty-first century. “This notation sums up the belief system of the Learning First Alliance/Rhode Island (LFA/RI), an alliance of thirteen organizations. Our mission statement is what unites and allows us to speak as a unified voice for public education, not only in Rhode Island, but nationally.With regard to the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), we believe strongly that language must be included that:
- Ensures effective educators who understand the developmental needs of all students
- Ensures that schools and districts have effective leadership that supports the academic, social, and emotional growth of its students
- Promotes the use of data systems to support learning and teaching
- Promotes the use of technology to improve instructional capacity
- Requires the use of multiple forms of assessment, including performance-based assessment, to measure student growth over time
- Provides professional development that supports educators’ capacity to meet the academic, career, and personal/social/emotional needs of all students.
- Creates safe, supportive, and healthy schools for all students
- Ensures that students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them to be successful creative, innovative thinkers and active participants in a global society
- Secures funding to support the above mentioned priorities
As an organization, LFA/RI questions whether our goals and beliefs can be realized by an educational agenda that is focused on competition and racing places.Rather, we strongly recommend that educational reform needs to be cooperative and collaborative; we believe that sharing of best practice is a key ingredient in the growth and development of all learners---adults and students.Further, educational funding must be designed to support ALL students rather than to promote some and deny others.Funding that relies exclusively on the writing of competitive grants leaves districts that lack the capacity to prepare effective grant proposals and the students they serve, at a significant disadvantage.In this regard, funding should remain formulaic, rather than competitive.
We believe that measuring student growth is an imperative; however, we view measurement of student progress as a system consisting of a variety of strategies, tools and performances and not on a system based exclusively on testing.
The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provides an opportunity to rethink education policy that will support the success of each and every child in our state and nation as we prepare them to become globally connected members in a twenty-first century society.
Learning First Alliance Rhode Island stands ready to assist our state and federal legislators in the creation and implementation of ESEA.
LFA/RI Member Organizations:
Association of RI Administrators of Special Education
National Education Association of Rhode Island
Center for School Improvement and Educational Policy
RIASCD
RI Association of School Business Officials
RI Association of School Committees
RI Association of School Principals
RI Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals
