February 15, 2016 Dear Superintendent Dobard, As you are aware,
public charter schools in New Orleans have been the driver of
significant improvements in the academic and life outcomes of our
citys children. Over the last decade, we have seen unprecedented
growth in student achievement, including a rise in high school
graduation rates, rates of college attendance, and more students
eligible for TOPS scholarships than ever before. Together, we are
leaders representing a diverse group of public charter schools in
New Orleans. Educators in our schools are committed public servants
who take seriously the responsibility and privilege we have for
educating our citys youth. Part of our responsibility as educators
is to teach and model strong character and values, and support our
children to be successful citizens in our city and the world
beyond. We are saddened to hear of the recent allegations of
improper conduct during state testing at two New Orleans schools.
We know that the vast majority of the teachers and leaders in our
citys schools operate with the utmost integrity and accountability.
We appreciate the efforts the Recovery School District and LA
Department of Education have made to protect the integrity of the
system of schools in New Orleans, as their routine testing
protocols brought these allegations to light. As school leaders, we
feel it is our collective duty to take additional action to
demonstrate publicly that our testing practices are honest and
above board, and that our students results are legitimate and
meaningful measures of progress. We understand that the Department
will be conducting test monitoring using a professional monitoring
organization in charter schools statewide during the schools
extension or rewewal year. In the spirit of shared accountability
and transparency, several New Orleans charter school leaders have
come together to offer additional support to expand this monitoring
to cover all schools operated by our organizations on an annual
basis. These voluntary additional activities would include:
Contracting with a third-party organization to conduct test
security monitoring at all participating schools for all state
exams, on an annual basis
Continue annual training of our faculties on the states test
security policies, and invite the third-party monitor to observe
and verify the quality of this training for inclusion in the final
report
Publicly release a summary report of the monitors findings via
our websites and via the RSD, LDE and OPSB websites
We offer this support voluntarily in the interest of maximizing
transparency and accountability to the public. As public schools,
there is nothing more important to us than maintaining the faith
and trust of the families and communities we serve every day.
As always, we do our work in partnership with the LDE, RSD and
OPSB to ensure schools and students rise to the highest standards
of both academics and ethics. Sincerely, Jay Altman CEO FirstLine
Schools Kelly Batiste CEO / Principal Fannie C. Williams Charter
School Tracy Bennett-Joseph CEO Crescent Leadership Academy Sametta
Brown CEO New Beginnings Schools Foundation Sharon Clark Charter
School Director Sophie B. Wright Charter Schoool Niloy Gangopadhyay
Executive Director Success Prepatory Academy Aisha Jones CEO Mary
D. Coghill Charter School Rhonda Kalifey-Aluise CEO KIPP New
Orleans Schools Ben Kleban President New Orleans College Prep
Mickey Landry Executive Director Choice Foundation
Rene Lewis-Carter Interim CEO Algiers Charter School Association
Colleen Mackay CEO ReNEW Schools Ben Marcovitz CEO Collegiate
Academies Kate Mehok CEO Crescent City Schools Elizabeth Ostberg
Principal The Net Charter High School Patricia Perkins Principal
Morris Jeff Community School Gregory Phillips President / CEO
Dryades YMCA James Singleton Charter School Andrew Shahan CEO ARISE
Schools Eileen Williams CEO / Principal Edgar P. Harney Spirit of
Excellence Academy
