In the News: A Clipping Service – July 16, 2012

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

In this edition of In the News

  • New Orleans in the National Spotlight
  • End of Course Test Results Are In
  • Voucher Updates
  • National Education News
  • Technology Lacking in LA Schools
  • Local Stories

New Orleans in the National Spotlight

U.S. Top Education Official: N.O. Doing ‘Fantastic’ with Improvements
WWL TV – July 12, 2012
According to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, New Orleans is doing “a fantastic job” at improving schools and student performance, but we have to remain vigilant about closing failing schools.  Continue reading →

News Alert: University Presidents Sound the Call

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

 At 2:00 pm today, the presidents of New Orleans’ universities
and colleges issued the following call to service.  

Xavier Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The leaders of Tulane University, Loyola University, Xavier University, Dillard University and Our Lady of Holy Cross College issued a “call to service” urging the city’s most qualified and visionary leaders to vie for seats in the Nov. 6 Orleans Parish School Board election. All seven school board seats will be on the ballot. Continue reading →

A Tale of Two Schools: Voucher Performance

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

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.

  • Last year, St. Leo had 136 voucher students; Upperroom Bible had 74.
  • Both began participation 4 years ago, beginning with students in grades K-3.
  • Both had more than 60% of their total student population receiving vouchers.
  • Students enrolling in either school from grades 1 and up came from a failing school.
  • Students at both schools took the same state tests – iLeap and LEAP.

But the similarities stop here. Continue reading →

In the News: A Clipping Service – July 2, 2012

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

In this edition of In the News:

We’re Number 1

Brookings Metro Monitor Ranks N.O. #1 in Economic Recovery
Brookings Institution – June 27, 2012
A Brookings Institution report about the United States economic recovery ranks the New Orleans metropolitan area number 1 for overall recovery, number one in employment recovery, and number 2 in output (GDP) recovery for the first quarter of 2012.  Continue reading →

In the News: A Clipping Service – June 19, 2012

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

In this edition of In the News:

  • Voucher Accountability
  • Other News on Ed Reforms
  • The Common Core Cometh
  • National Education Stories
  • What’s Paul Vallas Been Up To?
  • ACSA Shakeup
  • OneApp for OPSB?
  • Other Local News

Voucher Accountability

Voucher Program Framework Approved by BESE Panel
KATC – June 18, 2012
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has approved a framework for the new statewide voucher program. The framework does not include accountability standards, which Superintendent John White and the Department of Education will develop separate from BESE, but it does include a cap on how much private schools can raise tuition as they take in voucher students. Continue reading →

In the News: A Clipping Service – June 6, 2012

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

In this edition of In the News:

  • New Orleans as a Proof Point
  • Success Stories
  • Vouchers in Practice
  • More Local Charter News
  • National Education Stories
  • Examining Discipline Policies
  • Around Louisiana
  • Closer to Home

New Orleans as a Proof Point

New Orleans Program Offers Proof of Charter Schools’ Value
Tacoma’s News Tribune – May 30, 2012
Reformers in Washington State are trying to get a ban on charter schools lifted. They are using New Orleans as an example of how charters can succeed where traditional systems fail. Continue reading →

Drop Out Rate Cut by 60% Since Katrina

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

The annual drop out rate1 for New Orleans public schools (OPSB + RSD) has plummeted 60% since Katrina, falling from 11.4% in 2004-05 to 4.1% in 2010-11.

At current enrollment, this translates into 900 fewer dropouts per year.

We Continue to Close the Gap!

New Orleans’ drop out rate is now down to the state average. In 2004-05, we had the state’s third highest drop out rate. Continue reading →

2012 K-8 Test Scores Released

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

The K-8 student test scores for Louisiana were released today, and New Orleans continues to improve.

Test Score Highlights 

  • For the 6th year in a row, student performance is up.
  • Growth was less robust this year. While the RSD outperformed the state, for the first time since Katrina, OPSB did not.
  • New Orleans Combined (OPSB +RSD) tied the state with a 2 point gain in the percentage of students Basic or above.
  • New Orleans students performed better than last year in all four subjects (English, Math, Science and Social Studies).
  • We reduced the percentage of students performing in the lowest category (Unsatisfactory).
  • We increased the percentage of students performing above grade level (Mastery and Advanced). Continue reading →

More New Orleans Graduates College and Career Ready

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

One of the key goals of K-12 education is to give our students the educational foundation they need to be college or career ready. In Louisiana, we have a good benchmark to measure this preparedness – what percent of our students qualify for TOPS, a program that provides two- and four-year merit-based scholarships to Louisiana public colleges and universities.

Educate Now! recently reviewed the TOPS data, and New Orleans continues to close the gap.

  • The percent of Orleans Parish public school students eligible for TOPS scholarships (two- or four-year) has grown from 24.9% in 2005 to 37.2% for last year’s graduates – a gain of 12.3 percentage points.
  • During this same time, the state average grew only 5.2 percentage points, from 37.3% in 2005 to 42.5% in 2011. Continue reading →

In the News: A Clipping Service – May 16, 2012

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

In this Edition of In the News:

  • OPSB Updates
  • RSD Headlines
  • Others Have Their Say
  • Louisiana Headlines
  • National Education Stories
  • Local News 

OPSB Updates

Orleans Parish School Board Approves Property Tax Increase
Times-Picayune – May 15, 2012
After a long and sometimes heated meeting, the OPSB voted to:

  • Roll forward the millage for 2013. The increase in property tax rates will bring in an estimated $5.1 million for all Orleans Parish public schools (OPSB and RSD). The move received significant community support, including a personal appeal from RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard.
  • Install Stan Smith, the district’s chief financial officer, as Interim Superintendent. Mr. Smith will take over for Darryl Kilbert, who is leaving the position at the end of June.
  • Promote Kathleen Padian, the district’s Executive Director of Charter Schools, to the level of Deputy Superintendent. Continue reading →