Editing Central Falls, Rhode Island (section)

==Education==

[[Image:Central Falls High School, Central Falls RI.jpg|thumb|right|[[Central Falls High School]]]]
Residents are served by the [[Central Falls School District]]. This school district is funded and appointed by the [[State of Rhode Island Department of Education]].

In February 2010, the entire faculty and administrative staff of Central Falls High School was fired after the teachers' union refused to accept one of the "[[No Child Left Behind Act|No Child Left Behind]]" options for restructuring failing schools. In accordance with NCLB legislation, schools deemed failing have four options to follow for restructuring. The superintendent chose the "turnaround model", which requires a district to fire the entire staff (teachers and administrators). They may rehire up to 50% of the teachers for the beginning of the next school year. The school has a graduation rate of around 50%, and 7% of 11th-graders were proficient in mathematics in 2009.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/24/AR2010022402092.html | newspaper=The Washington Post }}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> This school had been identified as one of the worst in the state. The teachers' union sued the school district, challenging the requirement that teachers reapply for their jobs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/ri-teachers-union-sues-after-mass-firings |title=RI teachers union sues after mass firings |publisher=[[Fox News]] |date=April 28, 2010 |access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref> The [[Presidency of Barack Obama|Obama administration]] sided with the school board. In May 2010, the teachers were rehired when they agreed to work the extra time required.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/aiken-standard-may-18-2010-p-9/ |title=Fired teachers OK deal to get jobs back |last=Tucker |first=Eric |publisher=Heritage Microfilm, Inc. |date=May 18, 2010 |website=Newspaper Archive |access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref><!---soft/hard copy refs do not match internally but are the same article--->

As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 U.S. census]], 5.9% of Central Falls residents 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=13421|title=ePodunk|website=www.epodunk.com|access-date=2010-02-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328011719/http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=13421|archive-date=2014-03-28|url-status=dead}}</ref>

There has been at least one Catholic school in Central Falls since 1895. By 1908, there were three: St. Matthew's, Holy Trinity, and Notre Dame. In 1995, these three schools combined to create St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy, which is in the building originally serving St. Matthew's. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy is the only non-public school in Central Falls.