Public Schools in New Orleans: 2005 and Today

1
Public Schools in New Orleans 2005 and Today
2
New Orleans Public Schools before 2005
Academically, Morally and Financially Bankrupt

• Academically Failing
• Worst performing district in state
• Majority of schools deemed academically
  unacceptable
• Valedictorian at Fortier failed GEE 6 times
• Central District Corrupt
• FBI office within the district main office
• 24 school district leaders indicted for fraud and
  corruption
• Financially Bankrupt
• District was 300 million in debt by 2005
• District could not account for, nor manage
  finances
• LDE hires Alvarez and Marsal to intervene

3
August-September 2005 Results of the Storm and
Levee Failures

• Approximately 80 of the city submerged in water
• Of the 128 public schools in New Orleans
• only 12 buildings undamaged
• 35 of schools completely destroyed
• To avoid bankruptcy, NOPS closes shop
• Almost every employee is laid off
• All public schools are closed

4
State Takeover of Public Schools

• In November 2005, 112 of the 128 public schools
  in Orleans Parish are taken over by the state
• Schools that were at/below the state average
  taken over
• Authority of these schools shifts to the Recovery
  School District
• As a direct result of the state takeover
• Orleans Parish schools decentralized and overseen
  by several governing bodies
• Charter schools flourished
• The Teachers Union membership and influence
  reduced

5
Public Schools in New Orleans Today
BESE/Recovery School District
Orleans Parish School Board
October 1, 07 s
6
Public Schools in New Orleans Today, continued

• Majority (56) of students attend charter schools
• Highest percentage in nation
• Mind Shift Not a school system, but a system of
  schools
• No longer a top-down, centralized management
  model
• School-by-School reform strategy
• Resources, autonomy and accountability placed at
  school site

7
New Orleans The most market-driven system in the
country

• Money Follows the Student
• Charters getting 98 per pupil spending
• Public School Choice
• Elimination of Employee Protections
• No tenure (charters)
• No Collective Bargaining Agreement
• Competition for Employees
• Total Transparency
• Service Providers Competition in Charters

8
The Opportunity for Education Reform in New
Orleans

• This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
  radically transform expectations and raise
  achievement in an entire city based on the
  principles of choice, accountability and
  autonomy.
• Tremendous local and national support
• Engaged community eager for change
• Highest concentration of educational
  entrepreneurs per capita
• Small scale

9
After Year Two, Where are We?

• Turned around chronically failing schools in Year
  1
• 7 out of 35 (20) that were reopened
• Scores continue to rise in Year 2
• Created an environment that will foster success
  vs. accepting failure
• Charter Board Roles
• Paul Vallas
• Public support for charters
• National Buzz
• Attracting talent, money and attention