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SCHOOL CHOICE UPDATES IN LOUISIANA
The Choice Foundation wants to keep you informed of school choice developments
in the state of Louisiana. While it is still an uphill battle, we have the opportunity
to create a successful school system, and in particular, for a post-Katrina New
Orleans.
Since 1993, the Louisiana Department of Education has been involved in significant
reform efforts. As a result of these initiatives, in May 1997 the State Board
of Elementary and Secondary Education approved content standards in English language
arts, mathematics, science, social studies, foreign languages, and the arts.
These standards reflect the essential knowledge and skills the content teams
of expert Louisiana educators deemed necessary for students to become good scholars
and productive citizens.
Organizations have lobbied for school choice legislature
with minimal success. During the 2008-2009 school year, about 61,700 students
nationwide received vouchers, up 9% from the previous school year, according
to the Alliance for School Choice, a pro-voucher advocacy group. Even so, vouchers
aren't available in most states, and they have gained far less support than charter
schools, which are attended by an estimated 1.4 million students.In 2009, 14
states, including Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., are offering school voucher
or education tax-credit programs that help parents send their children to private
schools. 1
In 2005, the Recovery School District (RSD), which is operated by the Louisiana
Department of Education, took over 107 Orleans Parish public schools in an effort
to turn underperforming schools into successful ones. The RSD is committed to
a successful Orleans Parish public school system and plans on achieving a world-class
public education system through the following principles: student achievement,
quality leadership, working together, transparency and accountability, equal
access and equity, RSD charter schools, and a relationship with New Orleans public
schools and the Orleans Parish School Board.
The public school landscape in New Orleans post-Katrina is a mix of traditional
public schools and public charter schools, primarily with relationships to two
systems – the Recovery School District and the New Orleans Public School System.
The leadership of public schools in New Orleans is currently divided between
the state-run Recovery School District (RSD), the Orleans Parish School Board
(OPSB), and a number of nonprofit charter school operators. Currently, there
are 88 public schools open in New Orleans, including 37 traditional schools and
51 charter schools. The majority of public school students, 61 percent, are enrolled
in charters .2 For the 2009-2010 school year,
the Orleans Parish School Board directly administers 4 public schools and oversees
the 12 it has chartered. The RSD operates 33 schools and has chartered 37 schools.
Additionally, two schools were chartered directly by the Louisiana
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).
3
1 D.C. School Vouchers
Have a Brighter Outlook in Congress, The Wall Street Journal, October 19, 2009.
2 www.coweninstitute.com/wp.../SPENO-2010-Exec-Summ-WEB-22710.pdfm
3 Cowen
report endorses school reforms, The Times-Picayune, March 9, 2010.
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Choice
Foundation • 1010 Common St, Suite 2950 • New Orleans,
LA 70112
• 504.523.4521
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