Maribeth Calabro is the New President
of Rhode Island’s Largest Teachers Union

‘I’ve seen a lot,’ Calabro says as she exits the Providence public school district

Share
Maribeth Calabro is the New President
of Rhode Island’s Largest Teachers Union
Copy

After 30 years as a special education teacher in Providence, Maribeth Calabro is leaving the classroom to be the president of the R.I. Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, the state chapter of the American Federation of Teachers.

She’s seen a lot of change in three decades teaching at Nathanael Greene Middle School — “I’m older than the furniture,” she joked — where she also served as the Providence Teachers Union president before being elevated to the statewide union.

In an interview with “Rhode Island PBS Weekly” and the Rhode Island Report podcast, Calabro discussed the Providence schools’ financial crisis, her early thoughts on the 2026 governor’s race and this year’s RICAS scores.

This story is part of a collaboration between The Boston Globe Rhode Island and Rhode Island PBS. To access the Globe online for free for 30 days, sign up here (no credit card required).

Ocean State Labs, opening next year in Providence’s I-195 District, will bring together researchers, investors, and startups focused on cancer treatments, gene therapy, tissue regeneration, and Alzheimer’s disease
The Rhode Island political figure and author talks with Ian Donnis about election integrity, political violence, and the future of American democracy
Starting Sept. 27, RIPTA will scale back service on 46 of its 67 bus routes — cutting trips, shortening schedules, reducing frequency, and eliminating segments, with most changes affecting weekends and off-peak hours
A Superior Court judge gave the former high school basketball coach one year of probation after a jury found him guilty of misdemeanor battery, but not guilty of sexual assault or molestation charges tied to decades of controversial body-fat tests