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Gist by the Numbers: Achievement Gap Failing to Improve
Test scores are up. So are graduation rates. But the gap between white students and those who are minorities, have disabilities, or are not native English speakers has either stagnated or worsened in the four years that Deborah Gist has been at the helm of the Rhode Island Education Department.
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URI’s Mazze on Economic Forecast: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Today, URI Professor of Business Administration Edward Mazze will unveil his annual state-of-the-state report, "The Rhode Island Economic Outlook and Forecast: Reexamining the Manufacturing Sector" at the New England Economic Partnership Spring 2013 Economic Outlook Conference" -- and while the "long term outlook is good", Mazze says that new economic development initiatives will have little impact the state does not increase its investment in promoting Rhode Island as a place to do business
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Report: Gist Misses Most Achievement Gap Target Numbers
The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, led by Commissioner Deborah Gist, released it's Comprehensive NECAP Math, Reading, and Writing Results for Grades 3‐‐8 & 11 report. Within the report is a table that breaks down statewide progress toward RIDE performance measures and goals with regard to certain achievement gaps. These acheivement gaps are delineated in the report by the difference in average scores by distinct groups of students on subjects such as reading or math as well as their graduation rates. The differences are yielded by subtracting the average of a lower scoring group from the average of a higher scoring group. While the efficacy of test scores in determining student achievement is often debated, the stark margins of achievement in NECAP scores between different racial and socioeconomic groups are worth a look- see below:
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Lisa Blais: Providence Goes After Water, Homeowners To Fix Budget
Here’s a story of political manipulation at the cost of RI citizens. (So, what’s new?) Usually, legislation is introduced during the General Assembly session and may languish for quite awhile before a committee hearing is scheduled to consider a bill. But, House bill 6099 – a money grab for the City of Providence – was introduced on May 9th, scheduled for a committee hearing on May 14th and curiously postponed the very next day at the request of the sponsor, Representative Blazejewski.
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Rhode Island’s Best BLT’s
Bread. A nice tomato. A couple of slices of your favorite lettuce. Smoky, crisp bacon. A little sweetness from mayonnaise or another spread. Sounds simple right? Well then, why is it that everyone from the best chefs to your neighborhood diner makes a B.L.T.? The answer is easy...it might, quite simply be the perfect sandwich. Chefs continue to add their own spin but it is basically the same sandwich we fell in love with as kids. We set out to find some examples of delicious B.L.T.s and came back with these 5...
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ALPHA MALE: 5 Fast Items For Your Summer Wardrobe
I've been on the road a bit lately, and traveling always makes me rethink what really are "essentials" n my daily wardrobe. Typically, it ends up revolving around functional pieces, but as I pack I realize I still tend to overpack. I hate bringing luggage for quick trips, so I still find a need to strip down the essentials even more to fit just the right mix into my 1 carry on.
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5 Weekend Musts: First Full WaterFire Of The Season + More
It's a long weekend, Rhode Island, and you've earned your fun. Check out this amazing set of 5 events you can't afford to miss out on.
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Women & Infants: 8 Tips For Healthy Exercise When Pregnant
Years ago, women enjoyed eating whatever they wanted and resting through their pregnancies – like a nine-month sabbatical from their otherwise healthy lifestyles. No more. Exercise is recognized as healthy at any stage of your life and pregnancy should not interfere with this in most cases.
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RI Small Business Journal + Pat Paolino Cruz Join Forces
Southern New England WOMAN Magazine, a quarterly publication that addresses important issues aimed at helping today’s woman lead a balanced lifestyle, will re-launch in the Fall of 2013 as a joint collaboration between founding publisher Pat Paolino Cruz and the Rhode Island Small Business Journal.
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R.I. Basketball Star Charles Correa of St. Ray’s Commits to Dean
Charles Correa, a three-time First Team All-State point guard from St. Raphael Academy, will be playing for the Dean College Bulldogs next year, a junior college team in Franklin, Massachusetts, where he will play under head coach Richard Fazzi. Correa led the Saints to a state title in his junior year, en route to being named the championship's most valuable player, as well as averaging a team-high 20.6 points per game during his senior year, despite sitting out five games due to a broken bone in his right hand.
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MUSIC: Bernie Worrell Orchestra—Rock Royalty in Westerly
The Bernie Worrell Orchestra rocked the house at the Knickerbocker Café Friday – not quite a full house – but a happy one for those in attendance. Worrell is a founding member of seminal funk band Parliament and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’s played with numerous other greats, including the Talking Heads, Gov’t Mule, Les Claypool and Buckethead.
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Scott Cordischi On Sports: Sergio Pulls a Fuzzy
Apparently Sergio Garcia did not learn from Fuzzy Zoeller's 1997 mistake. Plus, the latest Bruins news and a PC player arrested for assault allegedly gets assaulted himself. It's all here.
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Half of RI Renters Spend Over 30% of Income on Rent
A report issued by HousingWorks RI today entitled, "The Complete Approach to Funding Affordable Housing" showed that half of Rhode Island renters are cost-burdened, which means that they spend more than a third of their income on housing. Moreover, a quarter of all Rhode Island households pay over fifty percent of their income towards housing costs.
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Bi-Weekly Paycheck Legislation Gets Pushback From Employees
Legislation unanimously approved by the Rhode Island House Committee on Finance would enable private industry to pay employees less than weekly -- and in spite of criticism from labor led opposition citing disenfranchisement of already cash-strapped employees, the committee was won over by representation by the business community who testified in favor of creating a more business friendly environment.
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Julia Steiny: Public Schools Owe Neglected Kids More Than Academics
Dr. James Comer is a rock star in my world, with sterling credentials and a great personal story. He started as a doctor delivering babies in the middle of the night, and went on to become a Master of Public Health and one of the nation's leading psychiatrists, home-based at Yale Medical School.
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Easy, Healthy + Delicious Memorial Day Recipes
The first big summer weekend is nearly here, and with it comes the first big cookout weekend. Clean up the grill, get out the picnic gear, and whip up these deliciously healthy mains and sides as a variation on those burgers and dogs. GoLocal asked Rhode Island-based food writer Lydia Walshin, whose blog, The Perfect Pantry, is a critically acclaimed go-to for healthy and inventive cooking, to share her recipes. All photos courtesy of The Perfect Pantry.
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Newport Manners + Etiquette: Prom Dress Code for Guys + More
People are asking about the madness of May this month with etiquette questions to Newport Manners about disinheriting your only heir, a student cheating on an exam, and navigating graduation as a divorced mother of the graduate. Didi Lorillard's favorite, however, is a question about what guys should wear to senior prom.
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LEGAL MATTERS: How To Beat That Speeding Ticket
So you got a ticket for going 65 MPH in a 55 MPH zone and you’re wondering whether you can beat it in court. If you have been driving for a few years, and have a good record, maybe. Here’s why:
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Dealing With Late Spring Allergies—Kent Hospital Expert
The trees and flowers are blooming, and the temperatures are rising. Why, then, are you so miserable? If you suffer from allergies, those beautiful blooms can make spring a challenge.
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Cranston Neighborhood Named To National Register
A well-preserved residential neighborhood in eastern Cranston has received federal recognition for its contributions to the history of architecture and the history of community planning/development.
