I wish to share this letter to the Newport Superintendent and School Committee Members should you wish to publish.
Dear Dr. Jermain and Members of the School Committee,
I write to you to express my concerns as we welcome our students to the new school year. As a parent and a community member, I cannot possibly know the ins and outs of the current union dispute. Nothing is black and white and I imagine there are many frustrations on both sides. What I do know however is that without access to targeted intervention supports, our children will fall behind.
The removal of reading, math, and ELL specialists means that our schools will no longer have the critical tier 2 and tier 3 intervention services that many students rely on to succeed. At the tier 2 level, interventionists provide targeted and supplemental support beyond what is offered through the core curriculum and in a small, personalized group. At the tier 3 level, intervention is intensive, individualized and at a higher frequency and longer duration.
I genuinely ask, how is one classroom teacher capable of delivering these supports while simultaneously providing core, universal instruction to all students? How are the “typical” or the high achievers engaging in the classroom while their teacher provides small group or individualized support to struggling readers? (My fear is by putting a screen in front of them). How does a struggling math student fill gaps while their teacher pushes forward with the classroom math curriculum? How does a child new to the English language progress academically, socially, and emotionally without dedicated time and lessons with an ESL educator?
I am deeply concerned that the elimination of these specialists will significantly increase the strain on special education services, creating even greater challenges for students with individualized needs. This domino effect has the potential to intensify existing inequities and severely limit educational opportunities for all students. With only 12 percent of our students meeting grade-level expectations in ELA and math, according to the 2022-2023 RICAS data, it is crucial that we enhance, not reduce, our support for underperforming students. The thought of losing these essential services is, quite frankly, alarming and deeply unsettling.
I respectfully urge you to reconsider these cuts and seek alternative solutions to maintain these crucial services. We share a deep commitment to our children’s education, and it is vital that every student has access to the support they need. The choices we make today will directly impact our children’s ability to succeed academically and reach their full potential.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your response and hope for a resolution that supports the best interests of all students in our district.
Liz Barron, Newport
Very well said! I certainly hope the school committee will take action.
I couldn’t agree more.
Your letter is spot on. My children went to Newport schools. I was a reading specialist in Narragansett. Our goal there was to identify children at the kindergarten level to begin interventions. Removing reading teachers, eSL teachers and special ed teachers is a very severe stratagy. So many children are hurt by this. This says to me that Newport schools will continue to be the lowest on Aquidneck Island. Shame on Newport’s administration!!!