The Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education recommended Tuesday night the reappointment of state Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green.
After meeting during a closed executive session for about 30 minutes, the council voted, five to one, to launch contract talks with Infante-Green.
Earlier, council member Jo Eva Gaines expressed frustration about the release of poor statewide standardized test results last week. Infante-Green responded by vowing that change is coming, although she said it will take time and got slowed down by the pandemic.
“You have to believe and you have to try things differently,” she said. “If we keep doing the same things over and over, you get the same results. I’m glad that you said that because 30 years is a long time to be sitting here. But that’s why we’re in Providence. We’re there because of what’s happened for the last 30 years.”
Infante-Green was brought in by former Gov. Gina Raimondo and she enjoys the support of Gov. Dan McKee. The Providence Teachers Union remains critical of the commissioner.
A new contract for Infante-Green faces approval by the state Board of Education. The timetable for that remains unclear, although the board is slated to meet next week. Infante-Green’s salary is about $232,000 a year.
