Education Reform in New Orleans Public Schools

“In the nearly 5 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans a fundamentally different public education system has emerged.”

Presentation Based on:

The State of Public Education in New Orleans 2010 Report By Michael Schwam-Baird &Laura Mogg

New Orleans Learning Opportunity: A Conference on the Progress of New Orleans Educational Reform Efforts. November 2009 Facilitated by Dr. Stacey Childress, Jim Peyser, and Dr. Anthony Recasner

2

New Orleans Public Schools (NOPS)

Schwam-Bird & Mogg 2009 Pre Katrina 2009

Students 65,000 38,000

African American Enrollment 93% 90%

Receiving Free or Reduced Lunch 77% 82%

3

NOPS Prior to Hurricane Katrina

Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB): 7-member locally elected; controlled nearly all public schools

Public schools were failing young people• In 2005, district ranked 67th out of 68 Louisiana parishes in

student performance• Largest racial performance gap in state: Black students scoring

51% behind white peers

4

Hurricane Katrina: accelerator, not cause of reform

– In 2003, state initiated state-run Recovery School District (RSD) to take over failing schools for 5 years

In 2004 RSD takes over first school By 2005 RSD has control of 4 schools

– In 2004, state legislation gives state superintendent control over financial management and personnel, thus limiting OPSB’s power.

5

Hurricane Katrina: accelerator, not cause of reform

Following Katrina, state power increases to intervene in districts ‘academically in crisis’– RSD could take over school if the School Performance

Score (SPS) fell below the State average RSD eligible score before Katrina= 60 RSD eligible score after Katrina= 86.2

– Enabled RSD to take over 100 additional schools (up from 4 pre Katrina)

6

What is the Recovery School District?

RSD: special district administered by the Louisiana Dept of Education & Supt Paul Vallas

– Schools fail to meet state minimum academic standards for at least 4 consecutive years eligible for RSD take over

– 1 in 3 RSD schools led by high-quality leaders from NLNS, BES, TFA, NSNO, KIPP

– Schools recruit, retain, & promote teachers and staff based on qualifications and performance rather than seniority

– Parents have the choice to select among two dozen high schools and 50 elementary school

7

8

More students scoring basic and above in New Orleans compared to LA

0

5

10

15

20

4thPromo

8thPromo

GEEEnglish

GEEMath

New Olreans

State

Poi

nt G

ains

9

2005 & 2009 Performance Labels for Public Schools In New Orleans

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2005 2009

AcademicallyUnacceptable(below 60)

One Star (60-79.9)

Two Stars (80-99.9)

Three or More Stars(between 100-200)

Louisiana Department of Education