After 34 years under state control, the Central Falls school system is returning to local governance. The city is currently working to establish its own hybrid school board as a result of recent voter approval. The new local board will consist of five mayoral-appointed members and four elected members, and seats will be reserved for key voices such as students, parents, and educators to ensure that the lived experiences of the school community are always represented. This shift, led by the Central Falls Mayor’s Office, is a critical step in restoring community-led decision-making in public education.
Brown University is guiding research for this initiative, led by Professor Kenneth Wong in partnership with Sarah Friedman, Chief of Education Strategy in the Mayor’s Office. This summer, students in the Urban Education Policy (UEP) master’s program supported the implementation of the transition to local school control.
A Historic Moment
The return to local control is both a major policy change and a community milestone. For decades, decisions about Central Falls schools were made at the state level; now, with a newly approved school board charter, the people of Central Falls have the opportunity to lead their own schools and shape the education system.
Friedman explains, “Central Falls deserves a school board that truly reflects and represents the people it serves. That’s why, over the past year, more than 20 community leaders—from parents and students to educators, union leaders, policymakers, and elected officials—came together as a Community Advisory Board to design a new governance model for our schools. That model was just officially approved by voters in July.”
Laying a Foundation with Research
The foundation for the transition was data-driven research. Professor Wong, in partnership with the Annenberg Institute, studied governance models from other districts and provided findings that helped draft the legislation passed by public vote.
“This transition is an opportunity to design a school board from the ground up, with the goal of reflecting the voices and values of the community it serves,” Wong adds. “We’re studying reform while shaping it alongside those most affected.”
The project is now in the implementation phase. Professor Wong and UEP students Alexandra Mercedes-Santos and Arianna Mendez are supporting the community engagement initiatives led by Friedman.
Mercedes-Santos shares, “I am excited to see how the community gets involved and comes together closer than before. I’m also excited to see how things change for the school district at each level and school.”
The Role of Community
One of the project’s key pillars is community engagement. During the months of June and July, Mercedes-Santos and Mendez met with local residents, organized events, and encouraged people to nominate school board candidates.
“We really just talked to people about what they would like to see and how they’re instrumental in that vision,” said Mercedes-Santos. This on-the-ground approach has helped to build trust in the community. “The research shows that when we empower these voices in the rooms where decisions are made there is an increase in civic engagement and public trust. The conversations drastically change to center on what would be best for the community.”
For Mendez, this experience demonstrates the connections between research, access, and real-world impact. “What excites me most is how access was expanded in real ways by making information clear, listening to people’s experiences, and creating entry points that felt real. That kind of shift turned distant systems into something families could finally connect with.”
She emphasized that “education policy doesn’t begin with legislation. It grows from the lived knowledge, relationships, and everyday practice happening within communities.”
Building Civic Capacity
The Mayor’s Office and the Education Strategy team (which Professor Wong and his UEP students provided research support) have been intentional about making this process accessible and inclusive, driven by the core belief that those closest to the problem often hold the clearest solutions. The team built civic capacity by meeting with local families through community events and multilingual outreach, allowing residents to be part of the decision-making process after decades of exclusion.
“There’s a need for civic renewal in cities like Central Falls,” Professor Wong says. “This project proves that when residents are invited to co-create the institutions that serve them, the legitimacy and effectiveness of governance strengthen.”
What’s Next
In the coming months, the Central Falls Mayor’s Office will move forward with organizing nominations and appointing the first members of the new school board. The team is also tackling the challenge of creating a new funding model, as the city has historically relied heavily on state funds due to its limited property tax base.
Friedman shares, “It will take every person in the city engaging with education to see the schools our children need and deserve come to reality.”
By spring, the city anticipates having a fully developed transition plan, a functioning local school board, and a renewed sense of community ownership over its schools.