PROVIDENCE – Javier Montañez, superintendent of the city’s public school district, announced his resignation Friday, ending more than 30 years of service to the system as a student, bilingual teacher, assistant principal, principal and superintendent.
In a letter to families and staff, Montañez said he decided to step down as the district begins a transition to local control.
“It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve as your Superintendent over the past five school years,” he wrote. “When I arrived in June 2021, my vision was clear: to transform Providence Public Schools into a premier destination for education. Today, as our district embarks on a new chapter under local control, I have made the deeply personal and difficult decision to step down.”
Montañez said he was leaving after helping build what he described as a stronger district. “Together, we have transformed PPSD into a stronger, higher-performing, and more resilient district than the one I inherited,” he wrote.
Montañez was named interim superintendent in 2021 following the state’s intervention in Providence schools and was appointed superintendent in 2022 by R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green.
“While serving as superintendent during the state intervention, Dr. Montañez and his team worked to move Providence schools and their students forward, and that transformation is clear,” Infante-Green said in a statement.
The district cited several accomplishments during Montañez’s tenure, including reducing chronic absenteeism to 29.3%, achieving the highest graduation rate in more than a decade and lowering the number of schools designated for Comprehensive Support and Improvement under federal accountability measures.
In his letter, Montañez said the district created a $1 billion school construction plan and opened six new or fully modernized school facilities. He also said Providence nearly doubled its prekindergarten capacity and expanded career and technical education programs from 19 in 2019 to 33 in 2026.
The district said state assessment scores in English language arts and mathematics rebounded following the pandemic. Montañez wrote that RICAS scores in both subjects exceeded pre-pandemic levels and that graduation rates reached record highs.
“None of these accomplishments came easily, but Dr. Montañez not only believed in the potential of Providence students, he worked tirelessly to help make the district a destination for education,” Infante-Green said.
Providence School Board President Ty’relle Stephens thanked Montañez for his service.
“On behalf of the Providence School Board, I want to express our profound appreciation to Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez for more than three decades of dedicated service to Providence Public Schools,” Stephens said. “His commitment to our students, our schools, and our community has not gone unnoticed.”
The school board said it will post an interim superintendent position next week for internal candidates who hold the required licensure and qualifications and may later expand the search to external candidates.
Montañez said he believes the district is positioned for continued progress. “My hope is that these systems and structures will be a strong foundation for the next school leaders,” he wrote.
He added, “While my role as Superintendent is coming to a close, my commitment to this community is unwavering. Providence is my home, and I look forward to seeing our students, families, and educators continue to achieve greatness.”