Central Falls voters approve a school board for their city. What comes next?
During a July 8, 2025 election on the referendum, only 194 voters cast their ballot on the question, but 91% were in favor.
Currently, schools in the 'One Square Mile' city are governed by a six-member Board of Trustees appointed by Rhode Island's education commissioner. Under the new plan, Central Falls will replace that model with a school board comprised of nine members, four of whom will be elected and the remaining five appointed.
Mayor Maria Rivera's administration encouraged residents to vote yes on the ballot measure.
'We will introduce a resolution – sponsored by every council member – to put before our voters a historic referendum: a new school board structure that brings greater local control and accountability to our schools,' she announced during her budget address in May. 'For the first time in decades, our community will have the power to shape the future of our schools.'
The Central Falls School District has been under state control since 1991, when local officials sought support for its borderline bankrupt public schools. Despite initial optimism for state intervention, the city's schools are still struggling financially more than 30 years later. The district ranked last among all Rhode Island school districts in English Language Arts, math and science standardized testing during the 2023 – 2024 school year, according to Central Falls officials.
In October, Rivera released a report detailing 'systemic failures' that continue to plague the schools, after a year-long survey with input from hundreds of teachers, students, parents and other community members.
Following the report's release, a team of school and city leaders worked to redesign the school district's governance structure, recommending more local and community involvement. Rivera has said she would like to see the schools returned to local control and that ongoing reform efforts are a key part of that plan.
The General Assembly agreed this year to create a commission for studying the effects of returning the Central Falls school system to local control. In the upcoming school year, the state is funding the district's entire $54.8 million budget, so the commission will research sustainable financial strategies for Central Falls to contribute money to its schools going forward, along with a plan to transfer control tentatively by July 1, 2026.
Central Falls City Council introduced a resolution in May that would amend the city's charter to create a school board. Now that voters have approved that plan, the city can prepare to elect four members in November's general election and appoint the other five members in time for the board to assemble in January.
The City Council established a framework for a five-person School Board Nominating Committee:
One member will be selected by a majority vote of the City Council. At least one member selected by the city council must be a family member of a current student.
One member will be selected by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. After an initial term of three years, this member will be replaced by another appointment from the City Council.
One member will be selected by the mayor.
One member will be selected by the Central Falls Teachers Union. At the time of selection, this member must be a current or former educator.
One member will be selected by the Student Council at Central Falls High School. At the time of selection, this member must be a current student.
The School Board Nominating Committee is supposed to engage in a community-led process to nominate school board members for appointment, who the mayor will then approve. The city has already opened applications to join the board.
Along with the referendum, voters cast their ballots on July 8 to elect Anthony A. Solano as city councilor for Central Falls Ward 4, and Stefano V. Famiglietti in the Senate District 4 primary. Voter turnout was 23%.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Central Falls will get a new school board to transition out of state takeover
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