New state-wide math initiative announced

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Thursday morning at Asa Messer Elementary, Gov. Dan McKee, school officials, among others, announced Math Matters RI, a new program aiming to help students across the ocean state with math.

More than $2 million was awarded to help improve math skills across the state.

“In math RICAS our students have rebounded past pre-pandemic levels of achievement,” RIDE Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green said. “And that’s impressive, but that is nowhere where we want to be. We want to keep pushing the envelope.”

As part of this launch, McKee and Infante-Green awarded the latest round of Learn365 grants to 38 communities across the state.

Meanwhile, the city wants to regain control of the Providence school district in 2025, but the governor wants to wait.

“There is a timeframe that we need to make sure there are conditions in terms of the transfer,” McKee said. “We are nowhere near where we need to be, but we are making a good deal of progress and when we do the hand off we want that to continue.”

Mayor Brett Smiley said he sees it as his job to make the case that the city is ready to take control.

“To show that we are able to meet those steps that have been laid out in front of us,” the mayor said. “And to try to articulate that Providence is ready. Nobody wants the schools to slide backwards in the transition and I don’t either. So it’s my job to now demonstrate that in fact we are ready. I am confident we can make that case in the months to come.”