Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News

By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

The fate of Rhode Island's often controversial education commissioner should be known by the end of the week.

The Rhode Island Board of Education expects to vote Thursday night on whether to approve the contract of Commissioner Deborah Gist.

"Oh, absolutely I want to stay," Gist said Monday when asked whether she wants to remain in the position.

Gist's fate lies with a newly constituted State Board of Education. The board now has responsibility for Elementary and Secondary Education, which are Gist's areas of responsibility, as well as Higher Education. New Board Chairwoman Eva Marie Mancuso expressed unequivocal support for Gist in an interview Monday.

"There will be a vote Thursday night. I certainly am putting forth for the Board's consideration an extension of her contract. I think I have been very vocal about that," Mancuso said.

"I've been very grateful for the chairwoman's support and the governor's support," Gist said. Governor Chafee indicated that a contract extension for Gist was not yet finalized.

"We're still working on the details," Chafee said on Monday afternoon.

"It's going to be the board that's the legal, responsible entity that will make that decision. But, I'm working closely with everybody involved." He called it a deliberative process.

"It's on track. I like continuity, and certainly listening to the feedback from the teachers on the front line." "We're going to have a good contract," Chafee added.

Gist has drawn fire from teachers' unions for her management style in implementing educational reforms, including adopting standardized testing for students, and new methods to assess teachers' effectiveness.

A poll conducted for their unions found 85% of Rhode Island teachers said her contract should not be renewed.