Aftershocks From R.I. Mass-Firing Plan Persist

Decision to dismiss staff draws praise from some, irks teachers' union.

The recent decision to fire the entire professional staff of a Rhode Island high school has placed intense national focus on the implications of such radical efforts to turn around low-performing schools using the school improvement models promoted by the U.S. Department of Education.

The 93 staff members of the sole high school in Central Falls, R.I., the state’s poorest school district, were told they would be dismissed, using federal regulations as a justification, after negotiations between the district superintendent and the teachers’ union broke down over compensation.

The Feb. 23 move made national news and attracted the attention of President Barack Obama, who praised the decision, as well as the executive committee of the AFL-CIO, which...