Why is state control of Providence schools ending early?

Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green announced the state takeover of Providence schools will end in July 2026, a year earlier than planned, due to stalled negotiations with the Providence School Board over shared control. Mayor Brett Smiley and School Board President Ty’Relle Stephens, who had pushed for an earlier return to local control, were caught off guard by the decision, which Infante-Green defended as necessary to avoid conflicting oversight of the superintendent." "article": "The Rhode Island state takeover of Providence’s public schools will conclude in July 2026, a year earlier than previously expected, according to Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. The decision came after negotiations with the Providence School Board broke down over shared control during a transitional period, which Infante-Green had proposed extending until July 2027. She cited a key sticking point: the board’s demand to remove the state’s veto power over its decisions, which she called a non-negotiable condition for maintaining oversight. Infante-Green revealed the change in plans during an interview with The Boston Globe on Thursday, admitting she had preferred a longer transition. The state had initially floated a yearlong period where both local and state officials would share responsibilities before full control reverted to Providence. However, the School Board, led by President Ty’Relle Stephens, resisted retaining state veto authority, leaving Infante-Green with little choice but to accelerate the timeline. Mayor Brett Smiley and Stephens had both publicly advocated for returning control to the city sooner, but the state’s sudden announcement caught them by surprise. Smiley learned of the decision in a call from Governor Dan McKee at 3:54 p.m. on Wednesday, just before the official announcement. Stephens, who was leading a School Board meeting when the news broke, expressed confidence in the city’s readiness to manage the schools independently. The state takeover began in 2019 after a Johns Hopkins University review found severe issues in Providence’s schools, including crumbling infrastructure and poor academic performance. While most officials initially supported state intervention, shifting leadership at City Hall and on the School Board has led to a reevaluation of whether the takeover was still necessary. Superintendent Javier Montañez, who was informed of the decision in a Wednesday meeting, confirmed he hopes to remain in his role as the district transitions back to local control. Infante-Green will formally recommend the revised end date to the state Council on Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday. She defended the abrupt timeline, noting that Smiley and Stephens had repeatedly stated their readiness to assume control. The mayor emphasized that no sweeping changes would occur immediately, but he pledged to focus on improving outcomes for students in the coming months and years.