PROVIDENCE — Supt. Donnie Evans wrote a letter of apology to the district’s 2,000 teachers in which he acknowledged the difficult and often unpopular decisions that the central administration had to make in the wake of deep budget cuts and state intervention in low-performing schools.

Evans, in his letter, praised teachers for raising student performance in the latest round of state achievement tests. The number of elementary schools making adequate yearly progress jumped from 8 to 18, which means that 60 percent of the district’s elementary schools are making the grade.

“We, unfortunately, found ourselves making decisions this spring that resulted in troubling layoffs very late in the summer, and, to date, we have not reached full agreement on a contract with the Providence Teachers Union,” Evans wrote. “These and other concerns were exacerbated by what I consider the district’s number-one problem: communication.

“Know that I hear your concerns and for each of the situations that caused them, I am extremely apologetic. Having walked in your shoes as a teacher … I know the challenges you face each day in our classrooms.”

In an interview yesterday, Evans described the events of last spring and summer as having the makings of a perfect storm. First, Peter McWalters, state commissioner of elementary and secondary education, told the district that it would have to get serious about raising student performance in those schools that have repeatedly failed to improve under the federal No Child Left Behind law. That pushed the district to adopt new programs in reading and math, leaving little time to train teachers in the new curriculum.

Then, in June, the other shoe dropped. The legislature voted not to award additional aid to local cities and towns, leaving Providence scrambling to close a $6-million budget deficit.

Meanwhile, teachers returned to class without a new contract. Negotiations came to a halt over the summer while the district grappled with the deficit. Talks have since resumed and have reportedly been positive.

Evans said he recognized that teachers were feeling frustrated and that morale was low. He had planned on holding an open meeting with the entire staff before the school year began, but wasn’t sure he could ask that of teachers who were returning to class without a new contract.

So Evans decided that sending a letter to teachers was the next best thing. (A similar letter was sent to clerical staff and teaching assistants).

“How can I say I’m sorry and help them understand that I know they are demoralized,” Evans said. “I wrote it from the heart and I have gotten a lot of e-mails saying, ‘Thank you.’ ”

But the superintendent didn’t stop there. Evans promised to create a Teacher Council to advise him personally on their issues and concerns. Working with PTU President Steven F. Smith, Evans said he hopes to put together a group of approximately 40 teachers — one from each school — which will meet with him on a regular basis.

“I need to periodically take the pulse of the district,” he said. “I need to hear the things that we’re doing well and we’re doing badly. And, if we’re looking to do something different, I want this group to review it and give me feedback.”

Evans said that he met with a teacher advisory group when he worked in Tampa, Fla., and in North Carolina.

In his letter, sent last week, Evans also announced that he will create a Teacher of the Year program that recognizes outstanding teachers from each school as well as district-wide. He also wants to establish a Providence School Foundation similar to one in Tampa, which would raise money to allow teachers to pay for innovative classroom projects.

“We don’t do enough to recognize the good teaching we see,” Evans said. “We don’t sing their praises enough.”

Evans also wants to reward teachers who receive National Board Certification, a rigorous examination process: “These teachers have clearly demonstrated that they are the cream of the crop,” he said. “The more of those teachers we can get, the more we will be able to enhance student performance.”

In his letter, Evans concluded by saying, “Again, I apologize for the frustrations you have experienced because of the adjustments we have been forced to take. However, know that I remain committed to you as we work together to realize our dream for the children of Providence.”

lborg@projo.com