Providence Schools have struggled to show any signs of significant improvement over the last five years of state control. Meanwhile, through state intervention of another kind, a group of public middle and high schools in the very poor urban district of Springfield, have thrived. Since 2015, these schools have continued their steady upward progress from the bottom 3% of schools in the state.
By taking a “third way” between traditional district schools and charter schools, the Springfield Empowerment Zone Project (SEZP) has done what other communities under state intervention in Rhode Island and Massachusetts have failed to do: break the cycle of perpetual failure and launch persistent improvement in both test scores and life outcomes for their youth. Springfield’s once-failing urban public school system is now a source of pride and hope.
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