South Kingstown School Committee approves four strategic priorities and goals
October 15, 2025 | South Kingstown, School Districts, Rhode Island
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The South Kingstown School Committee voted to approve four districtwide strategic priorities and goals intended to guide work through the five-year strategic planning period. The committee approved the priorities by voice vote after a presentation from district administration and a subcommittee summary of the draft.
The approved priorities are: (1) increase proficiency rates and eliminate achievement gaps, (2) build and maintain trust across stakeholders, (3) strengthen inclusive practices and special education services, and (4) ensure students’ and families’ voices are present in decision-making. The district set an overarching academic target tied to priority 1: by the close of the 2029–30 school year, proficiency rates for all student groups should be within 10 percentage points of their peers across grade levels.
Superintendent Pedraza told the committee the priorities were developed from the district mission and core beliefs, multiple iterations with building leaders and a needs assessment that included last year’s equity audit. The presentation included grade-band goals (for example, K–2 reading, RICAS targets in upper elementary, end-of-eighth-grade proficiency targets, and aims for equitable representation in high school AP/CTE/honors programs) and described tools the administration plans to use to track progress, including school and district scorecards.
Committee members pressed for details about implementation and measurement. Questions included how student groups would be disaggregated (the district will use RIDE reporting and local platforms where available), how schools will monitor progress between annual state reports (administration proposed quarterly checkpoints and local progress-monitoring such as STAR screenings and local surveys), and how the plan would address barriers to CTE program access raised by members. The superintendent said the administration will return with more specific initiatives and milestone metrics if the priorities are accepted.
The committee discussed community outreach and communication with taxpayers, and multiple members suggested taking the strategic plan to the Town Council and offering a public workshop so residents who do not regularly attend school committee meetings can review the district’s goals. Several members emphasized the plan should be a “living document” that is periodically revised based on evidence.
Votes at a glance: the committee approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting by voice vote. Later the committee approved the four strategic priorities and the attached goals by voice vote; committee members voiced “Aye” and the chair declared the motion passed.
The superintendent said that, if adopted, the administration will move to define school- and district-level initiatives and scorecards to track quarterly and annual progress.
The approved priorities are: (1) increase proficiency rates and eliminate achievement gaps, (2) build and maintain trust across stakeholders, (3) strengthen inclusive practices and special education services, and (4) ensure students’ and families’ voices are present in decision-making. The district set an overarching academic target tied to priority 1: by the close of the 2029–30 school year, proficiency rates for all student groups should be within 10 percentage points of their peers across grade levels.
Superintendent Pedraza told the committee the priorities were developed from the district mission and core beliefs, multiple iterations with building leaders and a needs assessment that included last year’s equity audit. The presentation included grade-band goals (for example, K–2 reading, RICAS targets in upper elementary, end-of-eighth-grade proficiency targets, and aims for equitable representation in high school AP/CTE/honors programs) and described tools the administration plans to use to track progress, including school and district scorecards.
Committee members pressed for details about implementation and measurement. Questions included how student groups would be disaggregated (the district will use RIDE reporting and local platforms where available), how schools will monitor progress between annual state reports (administration proposed quarterly checkpoints and local progress-monitoring such as STAR screenings and local surveys), and how the plan would address barriers to CTE program access raised by members. The superintendent said the administration will return with more specific initiatives and milestone metrics if the priorities are accepted.
The committee discussed community outreach and communication with taxpayers, and multiple members suggested taking the strategic plan to the Town Council and offering a public workshop so residents who do not regularly attend school committee meetings can review the district’s goals. Several members emphasized the plan should be a “living document” that is periodically revised based on evidence.
Votes at a glance: the committee approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting by voice vote. Later the committee approved the four strategic priorities and the attached goals by voice vote; committee members voiced “Aye” and the chair declared the motion passed.
The superintendent said that, if adopted, the administration will move to define school- and district-level initiatives and scorecards to track quarterly and annual progress.
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