Gist Begins Negotiations to Become Superintendent in Tulsa

Questions about the future of the Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist’s future in Rhode Island and whether newly-elected Governor Gina Raimondo would keep her on the job melted away Monday night after the Tulsa Public Schools board voted unanimously to begin contract negotiations for Gist to become their next superintendent.

“Dr. Gist is a courageous innovator in public education. As a graduate of Tulsa schools, Dr. Gist knows our community well. Her strong belief that every child can learn is well matched with the board’s vision for our district. Dr. Gist has served at the highest levels of public education policy, but more importantly, she has served on the front lines as a teacher for eight years,” said Board President Ruth Ann Fate. “She is committed to working with teachers, parents, community leaders and administrators to deliver a quality learning experience for every student without exception.”

Many teachers and Rhode Island’s influential teachers’ unions are likely cheering the news since Gist has been a polarizing figure here in the Ocean State. Though she has been lauded for her work implementing educational reform here in the state, including new teacher accountability measures, she has garnered much criticism for her support of charter schools and standardized testing, among other issues.

Teachers have also accused Gist of being inaccessible and blame her for low morale. Teachers in Tulsa have caught wind of the conflicts between Gist and the unions, apparently. More than a dozen teachers walked out of the Tulsa school board meeting Monday night before their 7-0 vote.

First appointed in 2009, there were hints that Gist could be on the move in December when the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education did not offer her a new contract.

In a statement Tuesday morning, Raimondo congratulated Gist and said the city “made an excellent choice.”

“I’m thankful for Commissioner Gist’s great work on behalf of Rhode Island’s children. During the Commissioner’s tenure, she raised expectations for Rhode Island students and led significant improvements to educator preparation programs,” Raimondo said. “Commissioner Gist also expanded access to pre-kindergarten and full day kindergarten and enhanced the quality of early childhood education programs throughout the state.

“In addition, Commissioner Gist laid the groundwork for our schools to succeed in the 21st century through her focus on technology and innovation in the classroom. She advocated for funds to increase the use of technology to support teaching and learning, and she drove the initiative to bring wireless Internet access to all of our classrooms.”

Gist said in a statement that she’s excited to begin negotiating with Tulsa and she is proud of her accomplishments in Rhode Island.

“I love this state and the people I’ve come to know, and I am excited about the opportunities that lie before us as we develop our next five-year strategic plan. Nevertheless, inspired by the great work we’ve done, I welcome the opportunity to lead an urban school district – in particular the district in the city where I was raised and where my family resides,” she said.

So who will take over for Gist?

Raimondo said that a process to collect community input will begin “in the coming weeks.”

“We will engage in conversations with parents, teachers, students, school leaders, and superintendents across the state about the characteristics needed in our next commissioner to best serve our students and ensure a smooth transition,” Raimondo said. “My main focus is on creating opportunity for Rhode Island families. Not only is a good education a ladder to success, but great schools and a pipeline of trained workers help attract companies to invest and grow jobs.”