Commissioner gives final State of Education speech

March 25, 2019 11:44 pm

By Jordan Mazza

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Departing education commissioner Ken Wagner gave his final State of Education speech Monday night.

The theme was “shared responsibility,” meaning students, teachers, and parents must work together to improve the educational experience.

“To make sure that our parents and families feel activated in their own local communities, to really hold our feet to the fire and make sure that we’re doing the right thing,” Wagner said.

But some parents are not happy with Rhode Island’s latest underperforming test scores.

“We have a lot of challenges,” said parent David Feit of Providence. “And you have a kid who graduates high school who’s competent, confident, a contributing member of society, versus somebody who can’t read, can’t do basic arithmetic. The stakes are high.”

Wagner agrees the results right now are unsatisfactory.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said. “Our test scores in 2018 are virtually identical to Massachusetts test scores in 1998. Massachusetts just stuck to it.”

Wagner highlighted Rhode Islanders’ support for new school construction as a step in the right direction.

But one student says she and her peers don’t have enough resources, or enough of a voice.

“We need to be heard,” said Central Falls student Kamolat Ibikunle. “And you need to give us the opportunity to speak our minds so we can change.”

Wagner says his ultimate legacy as commissioner is working to raise the student voices and shape the system around students.

“You’ve got to put the student at the center,” he said. “You don’t fit your students into the system. You put your student at the center and build systems around kids.”

Wagner says he hopes Governor Raimondo’s pick for the next education commissioner, Angelica Infante–Green, will continue the work of expanding opportunities for underprivileged students.

Wagner will be taking a post at Brown University.