Join dozens of state and national education leaders in sending an open letter to Governor Chafee congratulating him on his recent victory and urging him to keep the winning team together at the helm of Rhode Island public schools!

When we launched RI-CAN last month, we said that it was time to put the public back in public schools. This is your first chance to show our leaders that we mean it. Please take two minutes to add your name to this letter and ask five of your friends to do so, too.

Your name will go next to names like former NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation Founder Eli Broad, Progreso Latino Board Chairman Leo Morales, Hassenfeld Family Initiatives Chair Alan Hassenfeld, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, National Council on Teacher Quality President Kate Walsh.

 Dear Governor Chafee,

Congratulations on your recent inauguration. As you begin your term as governor, we know you face many important decisions for Rhode Island. Perhaps the most crucial decision of all is the direction you set for our public schools. We believe that the best way to put Rhode Island children first is for Education Commissioner Deborah Gist, Board of Regents Chairman Robert Flanders and the rest of the board to continue their work. We ask you to maintain the current board composition by nominating only Board of Regents candidates who will continue the transformation underway of Rhode Island public schools.

2010 was a landmark year for the state’s public schools. With the support of educators, labor leaders, students, parents and members of the business and philanthropic community, Rhode Island rose to national prominence as one of only 11 states, plus the District of Columbia, to win the federal Race to the Top competition. That victory secured $75 million – the largest federal grant Rhode Island has ever received – for public schools in the middle of a deep recession. Commissioner Gist also worked tirelessly with House and Senate Leadership, municipal leaders, school committees and others to bring Rhode Island a groundbreaking school funding formula to provide fair, transparent and predictable school funding for all students. These accomplishments were achieved through an unprecedented collaborative effort.

The current team has proved to be a winning one, scoring substantial victories on behalf of Rhode Island schoolchildren. But the battle is far from over. The reforms initiated over the past year are an important start to transforming Rhode Island’s public schools, but they must continue to have real impact.

As governor, you have a unique opportunity to help Rhode Island become the gold standard for education policy that other states can look to for inspiration. We urge you to build on the progress made so far and keep the winning team together by nominating or maintaining a Board of Regents that will support Commissioner Gist, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education team and Rhode Island’s strategic plan to ensure that we reach our ultimate goal of providing great public schools for every Rhode Island child.

Thank you for your leadership.