After a special meeting July 28, 2022, the Providence City Council approved 10 ballot questions regarding amendments to the City Charter (the city’s constitution).

Question 7: Shall the number and composition of school board members be increased from nine (9) to ten (10), to include five (5) members elected in a non-partisan manner at the November 2024 general election, one from each of five (5) equal electoral regions representing the North, South, East, West, and Central areas of the City; and five (5) members appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council, with no more than one (1) individual appointed by the mayor from any one of the five (5) equal electoral regions [Amends Section 701]

New note (10/24): There is no provision for what happens when there is a tie vote.

Elected or Appointed School Board? Here are the key points from a LWV Chicago study::

The League of Women Voters of Chicago has researched and studied various models of public school governance that exist throughout the United States. Several conclusions became clear:

• There is more to governance than the choice of an appointed or elected school board.
• No method of governance is perfect; each has its pros and cons.
• No peer-reviewed study or comparative analysis has found that student performance depends on the method of selection of board members.
• The method of selection of board members may be important for other reasons, such as opportunities for community engagement or for oversight over the administration.