Department of Education report says Providence grading inflation accusations ‘unfounded’

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Education has released its report into grading inflation allegations regarding the A-Venture-Academy program.

The investigation was conducted by Providence School District’s Legal Counsel Charles Ruggerio who found the allegations “unfounded.”

“This investigation found that the teachers at A-Venture Academy, who stand behind the positive impact of the alternative program and the grades they awarded, are well-intentioned and credible individuals,” said RIDE Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green and Providence Superintendent Javier Montanez in a joint statement.

The allegations were made after several Providence School Board members raised concerns that students a part of the program, which is designed for over-age, under credited students to gain the necessary credits to graduate from Mount Pleasant High School, received grades that did not actually earn to inflate graduation rates.

To arrive to his conclusion, Ruggerio reviewed hundreds of documents and interviewed 20 witnesses and ultimately concluded staff at A-Venture “complied with applicable District-wide policies, had reviewed the work completed, and had deemed it sufficient to award students the grades and credits necessary to graduate.”

“No factual basis was found for the allegations of investigative bias, witness tampering, and/or evidence fabrication that were made by some members of the Providence Public School Board,” the report concluded.

Several Providence School Board members have called for an independent investigation, which was also echoed by Senate Oversight Chairman Lou DiPalma.

DiPalma has told told ABC 6 News that a Senate Oversight hearing on the accusations is scheduled for next week.