Voucher Program Faltering: Accountability and Performance Standards Needed
Educate Now! analyzed student test scores from voucher schools and compared them to New Orleans Recovery School District (RSD) schools. We found that for the second year in a row, students participating in the voucher program performed worse than students in the RSD!
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Comparing 3rd, 4th and 5th graders
- Statewide: 75% performed on grade level (Basic or above)
- RSD schools: 49% performed on grade level
- Voucher schools: Only 38% performed on grade level
The RSD schools significantly outperformed the voucher schools, despite the requirement that RSD schools must enroll and include in their testing results students with disabilities, who account for 10% of their enrollment. The schools participating in the voucher program are exempt from IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE
Just like there is a wide variation in performance of public schools, there is tremendous variation in the performance of schools participating in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence. Eight of the 34 voucher schools enrolled more than 60% of the students and tested enough students to provide school level results.
Two of the voucher schools outperformed the state average and were in the top 5 of all New Orleans RSD and voucher schools.
- St. Joan of Arc: 86% performing on grade level or better
- St. Leo the Great: 82% performing on grade level or better
Their performance is what one would expect from this program and they are giving their students better educational opportunities.
Four of the voucher schools in the state-funded program performed worse than any New Orleans RSD K-8 school.
- Resurrection of Our Lord: 23% performing on grade level or better
- Upperroom Bible Church Academy: 22% performing on grade level or better
- St. Peter Claver: 21% performing on grade level or better
- Holy Ghost Elementary School: 13% performing on grade level or better
SUMMARY OF THESE RESULTS*
| Percent Basic or Above English and Math, Grades 3, 4, 5 by School |
|||
| RSD | Charter | 94% | Akili Academy of New Orleans |
| RSD | Charter | 88% | Martin Behrman Elementary School |
| Voucher | Private | 86% | ST. JOAN OF ARC SCHOOL (C) |
| RSD | Charter | 86% | Lafayette Academy of New Orleans |
| Voucher | Private | 82% | ST. LEO THE GREAT SCHOOL (C) |
| 75% | STATE AVG – All Students | ||
| 49% | RSD AVG – All Students | ||
| Voucher | Private | 39% | ST. ALPHONSUS SCHOOL (C) |
| 38% | VOUCHER AVG – All Students | ||
| Voucher | Private | 37% | ST. MARY’S ACADEMY (GIRLS) (C) |
| RSD | Traditional | 27% | Dr. Charles Richerd Drew Elementary School: Lowest performing RSD K-8 School |
| Voucher | Private | 23% | RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD SCHOOL (C) |
| Voucher | Private | 22% | THE UPPERROOM BIBLE CHURCH ACADEMY |
| Voucher | Private | 21% | ST. PETER CLAVER SCHOOL (C) |
| Voucher | Private | 13% | HOLY GHOST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (C) |
Click here for a complete listing of all schools
* As of February 15, 2011, there were 1,653 students in grades K-5 enrolled in 34 participating “scholarship” schools, according to data supplied by the Louisiana Department of Education. The scholarship students in grades 3-5 take the Louisiana LEAP and iLeap tests, as do public school students.
CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
The purpose of the voucher program is to give parents better, higher quality school options other than attending a failing school. Any non-failing public school outside of Orleans Parish and any non-public school that had been open for three or more years can participate in the program.
But the data shows that some of the non-public schools participating in the voucher program are not giving these students better educational opportunities. In fact, every single RSD school is out-performing the bottom four voucher schools. This is absolutely inexcusable.
There is currently no accountability or performance standards for the private and parochial schools participating in the Scholarships for Educational Excellence program.
- No academic standard for initial participation
- No criteria for continued participation
- No way to exclude a school based on performance
Educate Now! urges the Governor and the Legislature to enact standards in the scholarship program.
- Participating non-public schools should be held to the same minimum academic standard as public schools as a condition of continued participation in the program.
- Parents should be given information on the performance of the participating schools, including how each school’s performance compares to schools in the RSD.
Educate Now! supports giving parents quality choices, but the operative word is quality.
Private or parochial schools that cannot deliver quality should be removed from this program, and we should instead use these funds to expand scholarship opportunities at the higher-performing private schools in New Orleans or to expand scholarship opportunities for low-income students in failing schools in other parts of the state.