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There has been much discussion about how folks really view education reforms in New Orleans. Last week, Tulane’s Cowen Institute released a 2013 public opinion poll providing data that replaces pure speculation with poll results on how voters feel about key issues.
Voters agreed more than they disagreed, reflecting consensus on some key points:
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OPSB President Ira Thomas could be violating state law by holding a seat on the Orleans Parish School Board while also working for the state.
Thomas has served on the Orleans Parish School Board for the past four years. He has been Police Chief for Southern University at New Orleans for three and a half years. By holding both positions, he may be violating Louisiana’s Dual Office Holding and Dual Employment Law.
The law states: “No person holding an elective office in a political subdivision of this state shall at the same time hold another elective office or full-time appointive office in the government of this state or in the government of a political subdivision thereof. No such person shall hold at the same time employment in the government of this state, or in the same political subdivision in which he holds an elective office.”
Read more about Thomas and what might happen next in The Lens.
Update 3-19-13: Board President Ira Thomas said he will seek the opinion of the state Attorney General on whether it is legal for him to be both the board President and an employee of Southern University at New Orleans, where he directs security.
Read more about the new School Board: Orleans Parish School Board elections leave unresolved questions
Election Results
District 1 - Incumbent Ira Thomas (68%) defeats Heidi Lovett Daniels (32%)
District 2 - Incumbent Cynthia Cade (51%) defeats Dwight McKenna (38%) and Durrell Laurent (11%)
District 3 - Sarah Usdin (58%) defeats incumbent Brett Bonin (32%) and Karran Harper Royal (10%)
District 4 - Leslie Ellison (52%) defeats incumbent Lourdes Moran (48%)
District 6 - Incumbent Woody Koppel (66%) defeats Jason Coleman (34%)
District 7 - Nolan Marshall (68%) defeats incumbent Thomas Robichaux (21%) and Kwame Smith (11%)
In other election news: Term limits for school boards seeing wide approval
When School Performance Scores (SPS) are released this fall (2012 scores), they will be based on the same formula as in the past, except the score for a failing school increases from 65 to 75.
Next year at this time, however, the 2013 School Performance Scores will be calculated very differently. Here are some of the highlights:
Scale: The simplified scale will run between 150 and 0. (Currently it runs from 200 to 0.)
School Grades: An SPS of 100 will equal an A; an SPS of less than 50 will equal an F.
K-8 Schools:
High Schools: The changes in calculating the SPS for high schools are more significant. Read More
This fall, all seven seats on the Orleans Parish School Board will be up for election. This election is important because:
BESE will meet tomorrow (Tuesday, July 24th) at 11:00 am to vote on Superintendent White’s Proposed Policy for the Voucher Program.
Quick Summary
Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year:
Performance is uneven in traditional public schools. Performance is uneven in charter schools. It should come as no surprise that performance is uneven in nonpublic schools.
Let’s look at two schools participating in the Orleans voucher pilot: St. Leo the Great and Upperroom Bible Church Academy.
But the similarities stop here. Read More
Over the next two weeks, you will be asked to vote for the Choice Bill (HB 976 and SB 597), which will make over 350,000 public school students eligible for vouchers. Done well, it can change lives, giving students trapped in failing schools better educational opportunities and improving education statewide. Done poorly, it will waste taxpayer money and financially strain local school districts.
So, let’s pass a good bill – one that will use our tax dollars to provide a better education for public school students. As it currently stands, the bill has two key flaws that you can easily fix.
Governor Jindal has made K-12 education reform the cornerstone of his legislative agenda. He is proposing sweeping changes – including expanding vouchers, creating more charter schools, and changing teacher tenure – that could radically alter the landscape of Louisiana education.
This Wednesday the House Education Committee and this Thursday the Senate Education Committee will hear his three foundational bills.
Comments on the Governor’s Education Package
Gov. Bobby Jindal Education Overhaul Legislation Introduced
The Times-Picayune – March 3, 2012
This article outlines the governor’s ambitious plans, provides details on the different bills to be debated, and presents arguments for and against his most controversial proposals to overhaul teacher tenure and expand vouchers. Read More
Yesterday, BESE approved an MFP resolution that now goes to the legislature to be voted upon.
The resolution approved yesterday includes some major changes that align with the Governor’s K-12 reform agenda. The underlying philosophy of these changes is the money to educate a child should follow that child to a broader array of education providers – not just public elementary and secondary schools.
Background on the MFP: The MFP stands for the Minimum Foundation Plan and is the formula that provides the funding for public schools in Louisiana. It includes the local share (local property and sales taxes dedicated to K-12 education) as well as the state share (money paid by the state.) BESE approves an MFP resolution every year, which the legislature can only vote to approve or reject – they cannot amend it.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS (VOUCHERS)
If the legislature votes in favor of this resolution, Student Scholarships will be included in the MFP. The pilot voucher program in New Orleans was funded with state dollars outside of the MFP and had to be annually appropriated by the legislature. By including the vouchers in the MFP, the scholarships will now be funded using both state and local revenues and have the constitutional funding protection provided by the MFP. Read More