The State of Public Education in New Orleans Report. Patrick Sims Debra Vaughan

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1 The State of Public Education in New Orleans 2014 Report Patrick Sims Debra Vaughan

2 The Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives at Tulane University The Cowen Institute s mission is to advance the success of New Orleans children and young adults on their educational pathways through research, policy analysis, and programs that support youth. Launched in March 2007, the Cowen Institute chronicles education reforms in the city and assesses their impact on New Orleans youth and families. We promote practical application of the knowledge we gain and use research to both develop our own programs and to advance effective public policies. We seek to be responsive to the community and work in partnership with others to enhance the success of K-12 education and to strengthen career pathways for Opportunity Youth in New Orleans. Embedded in a great anchor institution, we leverage Tulane University resources to further this work. Applied Research Public Policy College & Career Readiness Reconnecting Opportunity Youth Applied Research at the Cowen Institute The Cowen Institute s Applied Research staff serves as an objective voice to education leaders, policymakers, the media, and the public about what is taking place in public education in New Orleans particularly in the areas of accountability, school choice, and governance by disseminating relevant data and research. We draft briefings and conduct forums, meetings, and seminars that inform educators, administrators, media, and the general community on the impact of public education reforms in New Orleans. The Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives Tulane University 1555 Poydras Street, Suite 700 New Orleans, LA This report was made possible through the generous support of the Osa Foundation.

3 July 2014 The transformation of public education in New Orleans continues. It has been described as a centralized school system reinventing itself as a decentralized system of schools. Since 2007, the Cowen Institute has taken on the task of describing this reinvention. Through our annual State of Public Education in New Orleans report, the Cowen Institute provides a clear narrative of the progression and implementation of this new model. We identify meaningful trends while providing healthy critique and pressure for improvement. This year a dedicated website, expands the report into interactive maps and searchable data sets that allow more exploration and clarity. When the state took over the majority of public schools in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it catalyzed a new era of accountability, an expanded charter landscape, and a multi-layered governance model. To date, no urban area has decentralized and reinvented its public education to the extent that we have, though many are beginning to try. The landscape of public schools in New Orleans is changing constantly as both the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BE) and the local Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) authorize new charter schools and close low performing schools. As managers of these portfolios of public schools, OPSB and the Recovery School District (RSD) make decisions independent of one another. Community members and parents often struggle to navigate this ever-changing environment. Unified governance continues to be elusive. There is little desire to return to the system of governance that previously existed. As charter schools under RSD have earned the option of transferring to OPSB, they have all opted to remain with RSD. A unified system of schools with a single central office responsible for serving all students and holding all schools accountable to transparent and equivalent standards is unlikely at this point. Yet, in lieu of a central office, a multitude of ad hoc systems are organizing and emerging to address the absence of centralized services. These systems have been articulated and formalized in the innovative Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) between OPSB and RSD. The CEA centralizes processes, similar to traditional centralized sub-structures that we now have in place, such as enrollment and expulsion hearings. It also begins to establish protocols to protect our substantial investment in school facilities and launches cross-district programming and shared funding to serve our city s most vulnerable students. This official agreement is an indication of the will of OPSB and RSD to work together in good faith to solve real problems of youth and schools. We find that what was considered a reactive strategy to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina is no longer an experimental reform movement. This is public education in New Orleans. Sincerely, John J. Ayers Executive Director

4 Map tiles by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under CC BY SA.

5 Table of Contents 1 System Overview... 2 School Governance Cooperative Endeavor Agreement Enrollment and Demographics Operations & Administration...14 The State of Public Education in New Orleans 2014 Report School Finances School Facilities School Choice Human Capital Student Achievement K-8 Achievement Common Core Achievement Successes & Challenges...26 Successes...26 Challenges Looking Ahead Appendix Acknowledgments QR Codes When you see a QR code, like the one below, use your smart phone to scan it. It will link you to an interactive version of the data or map on our website at This report would not be possible without the honest and sincere feedback of the education stakeholders and community members who shared their perspectives of public education in New Orleans. Additionally, we are grateful for the expertise and insights provided by our external reviewers and appreciate the feedback and contributions of the Cowen Institute staff, especially John Ayers, Jonah Evans, Mary Lee Murphy, Vincent Rossmeier, and Matt Segraves. Lastly, we would like to thank the Osa Foundation for supporting this work.

6 System Overview The school year marks the eighth full school year since the dramatic transformation of the public school system in New Orleans. Although structures and policies continue to evolve, the overarching reform mechanisms that were catalyzed by Hurricane Katrina and its subsequent flooding in 2005 continue to define the public education model. School autonomy, parental choice, and high-stakes accountability remain hallmarks of the system. Reflecting on the past school year, the 2014 State of Public Education in New Orleans report provides information about the system of public schools, student outcomes, and the evolving education landscape. This report also highlights successes, as well as challenges, that continue to face public education in New Orleans. As a result of Hurricane Katrina and consistently low academic performance, public education in New Orleans has redeveloped under a decentralized governance model. In 2005, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BE) placed the majority of public schools under the oversight of the Recovery School District (RSD). The local Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) retained control and oversight of 17 schools. As families returned to the city, charter schools began to dominate the portfolio of public schools serving students in the city. New Orleans is considered a portfolio district, where the governing authority oversees a system of independent schools that operate under performance contracts.1 Charter schools, not directly run by the district, have autonomy to hire staff, allocate their budgets, and negotiate service contracts. OPSB and RSD act as the portfolio manager by closing low-performing schools and allowing the opening of new schools or the replication of successful schools. Common Acronyms and Abbreviations ACT: College admissions exam BE: Board of Elementary and Secondary Education CEA: Cooperative Endeavor Agreement CMO: Charter management organization EOC: End of course test (high school) FRL: Free and reduced-price lunch LDOE: Louisiana Department of Education LEA: Local Educational Agency 2 LEAP/iLEAP: Elementary and middle school standardized tests LEP: Limited English Proficiency OneApp: Centralized application process for most New Orleans schools. OPSB: Orleans Parish School Board RSD: Recovery School District SPS: School performance score

7 Figure 1: Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BE) & Louisiana Department of Education State Superintendent: John White School Year Recovery School District Superintendent: Patrick Dobard 4 BE Charter Schools Orleans Parish School Board Interim Superintendent: Stan Smith 5 RSD Direct- Run Schools Louisiana Legislature 1 Independent School* 57 RSD Charter Schools 87 Public 11 Direct-Run 75 Charter 1 Independent School 44,791 Students 6 OPSB Direct-Run Schools 14 OPSB Charter Schools School Governance In the school year, 87 public schools were located in the city of New Orleans. BE oversees two types of charter schools: four BE charter schools, which operate under BE and can enroll students from across the state, and 57 RSD charter schools, which operate under RSD. The five schools that RSD provided direct oversight to in the school year closed in the summer. The local school board, OPSB, also oversees 14 charter schools. OPSB directly operates six schools In addition, one independent public school in New Orleans is under the jurisdiction of the state legislature. Each year, there are changes in the education landscape due to school closures and the authorization of new charter schools. The rate of yearly changes has slowed as the system has stabilized in recent years. During the school year, 44 school boards operated public schools in New Orleans. This includes OPSB, BE, 12 charter management organizations (CMOs), and 30 independent charter schools recognized as local educational agencies (LEA). The complex and decentralized nature of public education in New Orleans creates potential barriers for the system to equitably serve the needs of all students. Rules, policies, and procedures vary across the systems. While OPSB and RSD have worked together to rebuild and renovate public school facilities, no single entity is responsible for ensuring that all students receive equal treatment across the changing policies and directives. *The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) is an independent school created by the state legislature, but in this report it will be categorized with the charter schools in data analysis and disaggregation. The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2014 Report 3

8 To address the unintended consequences of a decentralized system of public schools, RSD and OPSB worked together to implement centralized solutions designed to provide equity and transparency. For example: All public schools now use the same expulsion policies and procedures. RSD hosts a centralized Student Hearing Office that is utilized by all public schools in New Orleans. Most schools use the unified enrollment system, OneApp, established by RSD in All but nine OPSB charter schools and NOCCA participated in the spring 2014 application process for enrollment in the school year. All schools will be required to participate when their charters are renewed. Formal standards for charter school performance have been approved by both BE and OPSB. These standards were created to provide charter school operators with clear and consistent expectations for academic, financial, and operational performance. In March 2014, to address the primary challenges of providing services, programs, and financial resources to serve the needs of all students citywide, RSD and OPSB signed a landmark cooperative endeavor agreement (CEA). 2 The CEA lays the foundation for collaboration among the districts to meet the needs of all public school students in New Orleans. The agreement clarifies the existing partnership and commitment between RSD and OPSB and identifies new programs designed to equitably serve all students in the parish, particularly those with special needs. Legislation, which created RSD in 2003, states that low-performing schools placed under RSD could be returned to local control after five years, given that the school has met acceptable academic benchmarks and demonstrated academic gains for two consecutive years. The process for return, codified in 2010, states that an eligible charter school decides by a vote of the charter school s governing board whether to stay under RSD or transfer to OPSB. 3 Long-term unified governance under OPSB appears to be unlikely. During the school year, ten charter school operators overseeing 17 schools eligible to return to OPSB decided to stay under RSD oversight. 4 This marks the third year in a row that all eligible charter schools have decided against going under OPSB governance. Obstacles cited in previous years behind eligible schools decision to stay with RSD was resolved during the 2013 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature. Act 330, signed into law by Governor Jindal, allows RSD charter schools transferring to OPSB to maintain their autonomy as well as their status as an LEA. 5 As an LEA, a school is able to handle its own grants and administrative reporting and receive some federal funds directly, rather than through OPSB. This also addressed the issue of weighted funding. Previously, schools in traditional school districts, such as OPSB, receive the same amount of funding regardless of the levels of need. Schools that serve a larger proportion of students with severe disabilities, such as many of those under RSD, would be disproportionately and negatively impacted by the shift to the traditional district s funding formula. Media coverage by both The Times-Picayune and The Lens identified concerns related to OPSB s ability to govern effectively as reasons for the lack of return, as well. Until a permanent superintendent is named, there may be reluctance to return to OPSB. 6 Some school boards prefer to stay with the structure they know (RSD) rather than transfer to the unknown and potentially unstable OPSB. 7 Schools (CMOs) eligible to transfer in 2013 Akili Academy (Crescent City Schools) Arthur Ashe Charter School (FirstLine Schools) Dr. M.L. King Charter School (Friends of King) Dwight Eisenhower Academy (ACSA) KIPP Believe College Prep (KIPP) KIPP Central City Academy (KIPP) KIPP Central City Primary (KIPP) KIPP McDonogh 15 School for the Creative Arts (KIPP) Lafayette Academy Charter School (Choice Foundation) Lake Area New Tech Early College High School (New Beginnings) Langston Hughes Academy (FirstLine Schools) L.B. Landry-O.P Walker College and Career Prep High School (ACSA) Martin Behrman Charter School (ACSA) Morris Jeff Community School Samuel Green Charter School (FirstLine Schools) Sci Academy (Collegiate Academies) Sylvanie Williams College Prep Elementary (New Orleans College Prep) 4

9 The Cooperative Endeavor Agreement The 2014 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) defines the relationship between RSD and OPSB in three areas: educational programs and services intended to meet the needs of the city s most vulnerable students; facility improvement; and the efficient and equitable use of funding and shared financial resources. The following is a summary of the key details of the agreement. Serving the Needs of All Students RSD and OPSB will work together to meet the needs of vulnerable student populations. RSD and OPSB will create an exceptional needs fund to help schools serve students with the highest needs. OPSB will contribute $5 million from their general fund balance to capitalize the exceptional needs fund. In addition, a portion of the State Revenue Sharing Fund allocation will be dedicated to the fund. OPSB and RSD agree to provide services to chronically absent students, a therapeutic setting for students with severe mental health needs, and support for the transition of court-involved youth back into schools. Funds set aside by Harrah s Casino will be used for these services. RSD and OPSB will continue to gather and analyze information on student demographics and school capacity to jointly plan for the number and types of schools needed citywide. RSD will continue to administer the unified enrollment system, OneApp, for the school year and all RSD charter schools, OPSB direct-run schools and new charter schools will participate. Upon charter extension or renewal, all OPSB charter schools will participate. RSD will continue to operate an Early Learning Center and community-based early intervention program to provide citywide educational services to three- and four-year olds with disabilities. OPSB will operate the Child Find office to identify students in need of services. OPSB will continue to operate the Youth Study Center and the Alternative Learning Institute, which both serve incarcerated youth. RSD will continue to operate the Student Hearing Office. RSD charter schools and OPSB direct-run schools will utilize the Student Hearing Office and common student expulsion policies. Participation will continue to be voluntary for OPSB charter schools. Improving Facilities Upon its completion, RSD will transfer the Bradley Elementary School building to OPSB. OPSB will transfer control of the McDonogh #35 building to RSD temporarily. The facility will return to OPSB once its no longer needed. RSD will identify land to build a new Behrman Elementary School campus; OPSB will purchase the property. Upon completion of Booker T. Washington High School, OPSB will purchase adjacent property for athletic facilities. RSD and OPSB will continue to work together to implement the Master Plan. OPSB will use the proceeds of the sale of excess properties to finance projects identified in the Master Plan. RSD will continue to pursue tax credits to leverage funds to finance the SFMP and OPSB will bring requests to the board for a vote. Using Funds and Sharing Financial Resources RSD and OPSB will work together to create and implement a common accounting process. OPSB will ensure that Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB) and insurance proceeds will be used to benefit schools occupied by both RSD and OPSB schools. The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2014 Report 5

10 Figure 2: Public Schools in New Orleans, School Year Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BE) Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) RSD Superintendent New Orleans College Prep ARISE Schools Inspire NOLA NOPS Superintendent Non- Network Charter Benjamin Banneker Lawrence D. Crocker Sylvanie Williams Cohen College Prep HS ARISE Academy Mildred Osborne Alice Harte Mary Bethune Audubon George W. Carver HS KIPP: New Orleans Friends of King Edna Karr HS Benjamin Franklin Bricolage Walter L. Cohen HS KIPP Believe KIPP Central City Primary KIPP McDonogh 15 Joseph A. Craig Dr. ML King Comb. Mahalia Jackson Einstein Sarah T. Reed HS KIPP NOLA KIPP Central City Academy KIPP Renaissance HS Collegiate Academies McDonogh 35 Academy ENCORE A.P. Tureaud ReNEW Carver Collegiate HS Carver Prep HS Sci Academy HS McDonogh 35 College Prep HS Edward Hynes BE Charters Cultural Arts Academy Delores T. Aaron SciTech HS Crescent City Schools Eleanor McMain Comb. Lake Forest International School of LA Accelerated HS #1 Accelerated HS #2 Schaumburg Akili Academy Paul Habans Harriet Tubman Lusher Comb. Lycée Français Non-Network Charters Choice Foundation R.R. Moton International High School Coghill Accelerated Crescent Leadership Comb. McDonogh City Park Esperanza Lafayette Academy Mc- Donogh 42 Homer Plessy N.O. Military & Maritime HS Edgar P. Harney Lagniappe McDonogh HS New Beginnings Warren Easton HS Louisiana Legislature Miller- McCoy Comb. Morris Jeff The NET Charter HS Pierre A. Capdau Gentilly Terrace Lake Area New Tech HS Medard H. Nelson Benjamin Franklin HS N.O. Center for the Creative Arts James M. Singleton Success Prep Andrew H. Wilson Fannie C. Williams Sophie B. Wright Comb. FirstLine Schools Arthur Ashe J.S. Clark Prep HS John Dibert Samuel J. Green Langston Hughes Sci High HS Legend BE Charter Indep. State School OPSB Charter OPSB Direct- Run RSD Charter RSD Direct- Run Algiers Charter School Association Algiers Tech HS Martin Behrman Eisenhower Fischer Accelerated Landry- Walker HS Mc- Donogh 32 6

11 Charter School Governance In New Orleans, 42 charter school boards oversee 75 public charter schools. In Louisiana, public charter schools are required to be governed by a local board. The board holds the charter with the authorizer and is held accountable for the operation of the school. The responsibilities of the charter school board include ensuring that the academic program is effective, maintaining compliance with the law and all requirements outlined in the charter, and sustaining financial solvency. 8 In addition, charter boards can provide expertise and resources to the school. Louisiana Charter Law and BE Bulletin 126 set guidelines on board composition. Charter schools are required to have a minimum of seven board members. Charter school board members cannot be employed by the school, and there are restrictions on the number of immediate family members that can serve on the same school board. 9 In addition, BE-authorized charter school board members are required to have a diverse set of skills, including experience in education, organizational operations, community development, finance, and law. 10 At least 60 percent of board members must reside either in the parish where the school is located or a neighboring parish. 11 No elected official or school board member may serve on an RSD charter school board located in his or her jurisdiction. 12 A single charter school board can oversee multiple charter schools, as is the case with schools that are under a Charter Management Organization (CMO). CMOs are nonprofit organizations that operate multiple charter schools, often with a shared vision and mission. The CMO has a single governing board of directors representing all schools within the network. The CMO provides centralized support to a group of schools, including administrative support to hire, evaluate, and provide professional development for the teaching staff, as well as fulfilling reporting and financial oversight responsibilities for the schools. OPSB Superintendent Search Two years have passed since OPSB has had a permanent superintendent; interim superintendent Stan Smith has filled the position since July The search for new leadership has been marred by delays, divisions amongst the board, and uncertainty about the future of a district that will include the last remaining direct-run schools in New Orleans starting in the school year. 13 OPSB spent much of 2013 identifying a professional firm to lead the search. Eleven search firms from across the country applied to head the search process. By September, an appointed community panel recommended, and the board narrowly approved, the selection of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) to conduct the search process. 14 HYA, a Chicago-based company, has assisted over 1,000 school boards with executive searches. By January 2014, there was the expectation that a superintendent would be selected in the spring. Nolan Marshall, Jr. was elected president of OPSB, replacing Ira Thomas. 15 Under Marshall and HYA s leadership, the board identified its criteria for a new superintendent in February and began accepting candidate applications. 16 Twice the board identified a group of finalists and twice it voted not to proceed with hiring any of them. In March, four finalists were selected and interviewed. After a two-month lull, OPSB announced it would continue to interview candidates. 17 In May, three additional finalists were identified but, after a contentious board meeting in June, OPSB failed to advance any of the finalists for public consideration. 18 The timetable for hiring a permanent superintendent continues to fall off-course. None of the seven finalists has been able to garner the required five-vote supermajority. 19 Charter boards are publicly funded and are subject to sunshine laws. Charter school board meetings must be open to the public in accordance with the Louisiana Constitution and Open Meetings Law, R.S. 42:4.1. Notice of meetings must be posted with an agenda at least one day prior to the meeting. The boards may not discuss any new topic not included on the posted agenda. On any item up for a vote, the board must allow an opportunity for public comment. Minutes must be kept and made available within a reasonable time after each meeting. Source: New Schools for New Orleans, Charter School Legal Handbook. The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2014 Report 7

12 Schools, Operators, and CMOs In the school year, 87 public schools in New Orleans enrolled 44,791 students. 20 The vast majority of public school students, 91 percent, attended charter schools. New Orleans continues to lead the nation among urban districts in the percentage of public school students enrolled in charter schools. RSD Will be 100% Charter At its peak, RSD operated 35 direct-run schools. When the school year ended, RSD closed its last five remaining direct-run schools, making RSD-New Orleans the first 100 percent urban charter school district. 21 RSD Direct-Run Schools Closed May 2014 A.P. Tureaud Sarah T. Reed HS Benjamin Banneker Walter L. Cohen HS George W. Carver HS Without the responsibility of managing the direct-run schools, RSD will experience a significant reduction in force. Hundreds of teachers and other employees will be laid off as RSD limits its responsibilities to charter oversight and accountability as well as managing system-wide services such as centralized enrollment, the expulsion hearings office, and the truancy center. Of RSD s 600 employees, 510 will be let go due to reorganization in With the closure of RSD s remaining direct-run schools, nearly 700 students were required to transfer to new schools. 23 Families who chose to apply to RSD charter schools or OPSB direct-run schools applied through OneApp and received general priority through the OneApp process. In the school year, New Orleans will have only six traditional, direct-run schools, all operated by OPSB. As seen in Table 1, during the school year, of the 75 charter schools operating in New Orleans, 45 charter schools operated under one of the 12 CMOs, serving 56 percent of public school students in New Orleans. 24 Table 1: Charter Management Organizations, Charter Management Organization Algiers Charter School Assoc. (ACSA) Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) N.O. ReNEW-Reinventing Education, Inc. # Schools Enrollment (Oct. 2013) % of Total Enrollment 6 4,107 9% 6 3,755 8% 6 3,307 7% FirstLine Schools, Inc. 5 2,800 6% New Beginnings School Foundation 4 2,019 5% Choice Foundation 3 1,872 4% Inspire NOLA 2 1,743 4% Crescent City Schools 3 1,396 3% Friends of King 2 1,202 3% New Orleans College Preparatory Academies 3 1,173 3% ARISE Schools % Collegiate Academies % All Charter Schools in a CMO 45 25,128 56% Enrollment and Demographics Since Katrina, changes in enrollment patterns have occurred as the governance structure has shifted. Prior to Katrina, New Orleans public schools resembled a traditional school district, with 96 percent of schools being directly run by the Orleans Parish School Board (120 schools). After the storm, the model rapidly shifted. In the first school year after Katrina, about half of schools became chartered and many others were run directly by RSD. That year, OPSB went from operating 96 percent of schools directly to only nine percent and 55 percent of all students attended charter schools, up from only four percent. 25 In the following years, as schools opened, RSD had control of most of the schools in New Orleans. 26 Figure 3 illustrates this change and how both OPSB and RSD enrollment have continued to move toward charter schools. Total public school enrollment in New Orleans continued its steady rise after Hurricane Katrina caused a sharp decline in enrollment. The school year had a total enrollment of about 26,000, only about 40 percent of the school year s total of roughly 65,000. Despite yearly increases, the past school year s enrollment of 44,791 was still less than 70 percent of pre-katrina levels. 27 8

13 Number of Students (October) Figure 3: New Orleans Public School Enrollment: ,000 52,500 35,000 17,500 Total enrollment, especially enrollment in OPSB direct-run schools, dropped sharply in the wake of Katrina. In , RSD charter schools enrolled the most students, while its direct-run enrollment has steadily declined since RSD Direct RSD Charter OPSB Direct OPSB Charter BE OPSB enrollment has been relatively stable since Katrina Source: Louisiana Department of Education, Multiple Statistics by Site for Elementary/Secondary School Students - October 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and Evolving Landscape The public education landscape in New Orleans is continuously evolving. Each year, there are changes in the education landscape due to school closures and the authorization of new charter schools. Changes between and include: BE charter schools: Milestone SABIS relocated its campus to Jefferson Parish. As a BE charter school, it enrolls students from across the state. RSD direct-run schools: RSD closed or chartered seven of its twelve schools. 28 Three schools closed: Abramson Elementary, Murray Henderson Elementary School, and James Weldon Johnson Elementary School. Mary Coghill Elementary School was closed and re-opened as Mary Dora Coghill Accelerated Charter School operated by the Better Choice Foundation. Paul Habans Elementary School was closed and reopened as Paul Habans Charter School within the Crescent City Schools network. Schaumburg Elementary School was closed and reopened as Schaumburg Elementary within the ReNEW Schools network. L.B. Landry High School was merged with O. Perry Walker High School. L.B. Landry-O.P. Walker High School is within the Algiers Charter School Association. RSD Charter Schools: Four charter schools closed and three reopened under new operators. 29 The charter for Benjamin Mays Elementary School was not renewed. The charter for Crocker Arts and Technology Charter School was not renewed. The school re-opened as Crocker College Prep within the New Orleans College Prep network. The charter for Pride College Prep was not renewed. The school re-opened as Mildred Osborne Charter School within the ARISE network. The charter for Intercultural Charter School was not renewed. In the campus served as Einstein Extension. Einstein Charter School is an OPSB charter school. OPSB Charter Schools: OPSB became the authorizer of two schools formerly under BE and opened two new charter schools. Harte Elementary and Edna Karr High School changed authorizers from BE to OPSB. 30 Bricolage Academy of New Orleans opened its doors and enrolled kindergarten students. It intends to add a grade each year. 31 Homer A. Plessy Community School, managed by Citizens Committee for Education, opened its doors and enrolled students in pre-kindergarten to second grade. 32 The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2014 Report 9

14 Figure 4: Map of New Orleans Public Schools by Racial/Ethnic Composition, Source: Louisiana Department of Education, Multiple Statistics by Site for Elementary/Secondary School Students - October Diversity in New Orleans Schools Public schools in New Orleans have a different racial and ethnic composition from the city s total population. Using 2012 U.S. Census population demographics as a reference, the schools are categorized based on how closely their populations mirror that of New Orleans. 33 The map illustrates, by location, to which category each school was assigned. Only four schools in the city fell into the Representative of NOLA category (Audubon Charter School, Homer A. Plessy Community School, Morris Jeff Community School, and New Orleans Military/Maritime Academy) and two were in the Representative of NOLA Youth category (Encore Academy and New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School). Racial/Ethnic Composition Categories: African-American > 95%: if a school s African-American population was greater than 95%. African-American 76%-95%: if a school s African-American population was between 76 percent and 95 percent. White > 40%: if a school s White population was greater than 40%. Representative of NOLA: if a school s population was similar to that of NOLA, within 10% range of the city s demographics. Representative of NOLA Youth: if a school s population was similar to that of NOLA, within 10% range of the city s youth demographics. Hispanic > 15%: if a school s Hispanic population was greater than 15%. Asian >15%: if a school s Asian population was greater than 15%. Hispanic and Asian > 40%: if a school s combined Hispanic and Asian population was over 40%. Figure 5: New Orleans Population Estimates, 2014 New Orleans Total Demographics* African-American: 59.4% New Orleans Youth Demographics* African-American: 73% New Orleans Public School Demographics** African-American: 85.0% African-American White: 30.8% White: 17.4% White: 7.0% White Hispanic: 5.3% Hispanic: 4.8% Hispanic: 4.0% Hispanic Asian Asian: 2.9% Asian: 2.5% Asian: 2.0% Other Other: 1.6% Other: 2.7% Other: 2.0% 10 Source: Louisiana Department of Education, Multiple Statistics by Site for Elementary/Secondary School Students - October 2013 and U.S. Census Bureau

15 Poverty in New Orleans Schools Poverty continues to be relatively high among students in New Orleans public schools. New Orleans public schools are among the highest in the nation for its percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-priced lunch (FRL). Figure 6 illustrates that the city s 2014 FRL rate is higher than recent FRL rates in other major U.S. cities. The distribution of FRL-eligible students across school types is not consistent. BE charters in New Orleans have an average of 56 percent of FRL-eligible students, which is significantly lower than the citywide average of 85 percent. Similarly, those schools that have charters with OPSB average 61 percent, well below the New Orleans public school average. Some OPSB charter schools have selective admissions requirements. 34 The schools directly run by OPSB, those schools directly run by RSD, and the schools with charters from RSD, were all above the citywide average. Each group of schools has between 90-95% FRL-eligible students. 35 English Language Learners New Orleans public schools vary widely in their percentage of students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). In the school year, only 14 schools in New Orleans had more than five percent of their students with LEP. 36 " Due to privacy laws, LDOE does not report exact data for schools with less than five percent of their student body with LEP, however, the data for the school year is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. 37 The chart below illustrates the wide range of LEP rates. Sources: Kids Count Sources: Data Center; Kids NY Count State Data Dept. Center; of Education; NY State Georgia Dept. of Education; Florida Dept. of Education; DC Public Schools; Pennsylvania Dept. of Education; Chicago Tribune. *Different years were used in cases where the most recent data on a citywide level (including all charters) were unavailable. **Includes only some charter schools. Generally, schools have quite low LEP rates, which can make it challenging to effectively and efficiently provide the instruction that is necessary for English language learners. School leaders have identified the need for better coordination on this matter and one CMO leader suggested the sharing of services across schools or for an outside agency to offer English language instruction to schools. Distribution of New Orleans schools by % LEP, Figure 7: Percent LEP Students in New Orleans Public Schools, Figure 6: Percent Public School Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch (Year (Year of of Data Data in in Parentheses)* Parentheses)* City %FRL New Orleans (2014) 85% Chicago (2012) 82% Newark (2012) 82% New York City (2013) 81% Philadelphia (2014)** 81% Atlanta (2014) 77% Washington, DC (2014) 76% Miami- Dade (2013) 73% Denver (2013) 72% Only 4 schools had a LEP population of 15% or higher, with a range of 15-36%. 50% of schools had between 0.1% and 10% of their students with LEP. 45% of schools had no LEP students. The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2014 Report 11 Source: U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data, Source: U.S. Department of Education

16 Special Education in New Orleans Schools Many parties have been concerned about how well New Orleans all-choice system serves special needs students. 38 In 2010, the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit against LDOE claiming public schools in New Orleans were not complying with federal special education law. 39 The lawsuit has yet to be resolved. Special education enrollment across schools and governance types varies widely. Using the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education, BE charter schools and OPSB charter schools enrolled, on average, between 3-5 percent special education students, far fewer as a percentage of their total enrollment than other city schools in Schools with selective admissions processes also tend to have lower rates of students eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 41 % STUDENTS IDEA OPSB direct-run, RSD direct-run, and RSD charter schools had, on average, between percent of their student bodies classified under IDEA in the school year. 42 The percentage of IDEA-eligible students enrolled in public schools ranged from zero to 22 percent with an average of 9.9 percent in the school year. Every A school in the city had below average rates of special education students. 43 Figure 8: Percent Special Education Students in New Orleans Public Schools, % 20% 10% Highest School Average School Lowest School 10% 18% 10% 7% 5%! 5% 5% 5% 4% 3%! 2% 2% 0% 1% BE Charter* OPSB Charter OPSB Direct RSD Charter RSD Direct *BE Charter School data are from Source: Educate Now!, Special Education February 2013 & U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data, Special Education in Louisiana The U.S. Department of Education rates states based on their compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Louisiana was found to meet IDEA s legal requirements in Beginning in 2014, states were also rated on their special needs students academic outcomes. Louisiana received the middle rating, Needs Assistance, and will be required to seek technical assistance if it receives this rating for two consecutive years. Only 18 states met the requirements set under this national results-based accountability. 44 Figure 9: Percentage of Students IDEA-qualified by School and Letter Grade, New Orleans High: 21.6% 22% 17% 11% 11% New Orleans Average: 9.9% New Orleans Low: 0.64% School Letter Grade A B C D F T N/A Source: Educate Now!, Special Education February 2013, 12

17 Vouchers Competition is seen by many as a key element of a choice system. 45 In addition to the many incentives to foster competition among public schools, the Louisiana Legislature created the Scholarship Program to broaden the range of competitors and provide parents with more choices. 46 Louisiana s voucher program provides financial support for qualified children to attend private schools. In order to qualify for financial support a student must either have been enrolled in a C, D, or F, school in the previous school year or be enrolling in kindergarten for the first time and have a family income that does not exceed 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for his or her family size. 47 The maximum scholarship allocation in Orleans Parish in the school year was $8,520 per student. 48 In the school year, over 2,700 students in New Orleans used the scholarship program to attend 28 private schools, which is only about six percent of the total publicly-funded student population. 49 Scholarship recipients are still required to take the same standardized tests as public school students. A Scholarship Cohort Index (SCI) is assigned to participating schools based on its scholarship students performance, which is similar to the School Performance Score (SPS) that public schools receive. Participating schools that score below a 50, which would represent an F score on the SPS scale cannot enroll new students. Schools that score below 50 for three of any four years of participation will no longer be able to participate in the scholarship program. 50 For the 12 schools in Orleans Parish that received an SCI in 2013, the average score was 56.6, which is just above an F rating. 51 Students in schools that are no longer permitted to participate based on poor performance will be eligible to receive a voucher to attend a participating school % Fast Facts on Vouchers New Orleans schools are approved to participate in the program in is the average School Cohort Index score for participating New Orleans schools in of New Orleans voucher students returned to their voucher school in Voucher Legal Issues Louisiana s largest teacher associations filed a lawsuit against BE in the summer of 2012 asserting the unconstitutionality of the voucher funding source. Vouchers were slated to be funded through the state s public education funding formula. A civil court judge ruled the funding mechanism unconstitutional in the winter of The Louisiana Supreme Court upheld the ruling in spring of The program is currently funded by a separate legislative appropriation in the state budget. For the school year, $20.2 million was included in the state budget for the program. 56 The United States Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) sued Louisiana s voucher program over concerns that it increased segregation in schools located in parishes that are still under desegregation orders. A study by the Louisiana Department of Education found no adverse impact of the use of vouchers on school diversity. 57 The U.S. DOJ has requested updated reports 45 days prior to future voucher enrollment to ensure compliance with desegregation orders. 58 The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2014 Report 13

18 Operations & Administration School Finances Louisiana ranks 20th in the United States in per-pupil expenditures when adjusted for regional cost differences. 59 Public schools in New Orleans continue to outspend the state on average, although the gap continues to shrink each year. As illustrated in Figure 10, average spending at public schools in New Orleans was $12,797 per pupil in the school year (the most recent year of data available), about 19 percent higher that the state average of $10, However, RSD and BE charter schools spent considerably less in total per pupil ($10,500-11,000) than OPSB charter, and OPSB and RSD direct-run schools ($14,800-17,300). 61 Expenditures Although public schools in New Orleans spend more than schools throughout Louisiana in every major spending category Instruction, Pupil/Instructional Support, School Administration, Transportation, and Other Support two categories account for the majority of the difference. New Orleans schools spend about $900 more (42% more) per pupil on other support and about $500 more (72% more) per pupil on school administration. 62 Compared to other public schools in New Orleans, RSD direct-run schools spent the most on other support ($4,907 per pupil) and RSD charter schools spent the most on school administration ($1,175 per pupil). 63 Figure 10: Per Pupil Expenditures in New Orleans and Louisiana, $15,557 $16,000 $14,122 $14,327 $13,040 $13,203 $12,797 $12,000 $8,000 $4, $0 $5,797 $6,446 $6,571 $7,296 $6, $6,547 $6,906 $7,248 $7, $7, $8, $9, $10,673 $10,745 $10,825 $10, Source: Louisiana Department of Education, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, New Orleans Louisiana

19 Transportation Costs Citywide busing and transportation became a community concern when a six-year-old student was hit and killed by a car in February of 2014 as he crossed the street for his school bus. 64 On average, New Orleans public schools spent 21% more on transportation than all public schools in Louisiana during the school year, the most recent data available. 65 RSD charter schools, which are required to provide transportation to their students, spent 23% more on transportation than the average public schools in Louisiana. 66 Funding for Students with Special Needs Beginning in the school year, public schools in New Orleans will have access to additional funds to serve students with special needs: Through the CEA, OPSB agreed to allocate $5 million initially and $1.3 million annually to a high cost service allocation accessible to all public schools in New Orleans. 67 The Minimum Foundation Program (MFP), the public school funding program that determines state allocations based on local revenues, will increase the pool of money for high cost service allocation from $3 million to $4 million. 68 Additionally, Louisiana allocated $4 million in IDEA funds. 69 Statewide, LEAs serving students with special needs can apply for funds from the pool. For the school year, the high risk pool was only able to fund 53 percent of the additional costs schools incurred by serving qualifying students. 70 RSD is implementing a new special needs funding program. 71 RSD will now distribute money to its schools using a tiered system based on need and service minutes. As a result of this change, RSD schools serving the neediest students can receive up to an additional $20,000 per child. Though OPSB has not yet implemented a tiered system, it has committed to consider using a citywide differential funding formula in the future. 72 Figure 11: Expenditures by Group in New Orleans Public Schools $18,000 Other Support* Transportation School Administration Pupil/Instructional Support $4,012 Instruction $4,100 $13,500 $9,000 $4,500 $2,141 $631 $646 $1,218 $6,130 $3,035 $762 $1,111 $1,266 $6,622 $2,982 $139 $1,067 $842 $5,756 $551 $985 $2,034 $7,937 $545 $1,152 $1,811 $7,242 $4,907 $1,231 $909 $1,363 $8,932 $1,978 $777 $1,175 $964 $5,608 $0 Louisiana Avg New Orleans Avg Source: Louisiana Departmnet of Education, 2012 BE Charter OPSB Direct OPSB Charter RSD Direct RSD Charter *May include: General Administration, Business Services, Operations and Maintenance, Food Service Operations, Enterprise Operations, Community Service Operations, Central Services The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2014 Report 15

20 Facilities The School Facilities Master Plan for Orleans Parish, adopted in late 2008, serves as the city s blueprint for renovating and rebuilding school facilities through In August 2010, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded RSD and OPSB a final settlement of $1.8 billion, a single lump-sum for hurricane-damaged public schools. 73 In response to concerns expressed by the community regarding $420 million in unfunded projects under the Master Plan, OPSB and BE approved a revised Master Plan in October The revised plan is intended to build, refurbish, or renovate public school facilities without requiring additional local funding. The revisions replaced previously unfunded renovations and new construction projects with less expensive refurbishment projects and smaller school sizes. It also identified additional cost savings and cited additional revenue opportunities, including Louisiana state historic tax credits and federal New Market Tax Credits (NMTCs). As of May 2014, 17 of the 87 school rebuilding or rehabilitation projects of the Master Plan are complete, with another 18 in construction, 5 in the procurement process, 24 in the design phase and 23 in the planning phase. 75 Current awarded contracts for the Master Plan total $420.1 million. Additional capital projects including minor stabilizations, demolitions, and securing vacant buildings, are in progress and amount to $14.8 million in awarded contracts. Budgets of construction projects, especially renovation projects, often increase throughout the project process and some variance between original and revised cost estimates is to be expected. Nonetheless, a large variance in project costs could have a major impact on the districts ability to complete the entire plan with currently available funds. As illustrated in Figure 13, a large gap exists between original cost estimates and actual spending. 76 For projects under the Master Plan that were already complete or in construction as of March 2014, revised cost estimates totaled $304 million (22 percent) more than the original cost estimates. Figure 12: Master Plan Current Status Current Status Planning Design 5 Procurement 18 Comstruction 17 Complete Source: Jacobs/CSRS prepared for RSD and OPSB, May 2014 Program Update, Status Date: In early July, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor released a report projecting a $330 million shortfall. 77 Currently, there are no dedicated revenue streams to provide for school facility repairs. During the 2014 session, the Louisiana Legislature approved a bill allowing Orleans Parish to dedicate funding to long-term maintenance and preservation of school facilities, which is expected to be on the December 2014 ballot. 78 If approved by Orleans Parish voters, public schools in the city will have an additional $30-40 million per year by 2021 for capital replacements, repairs, and improvements. Disadvantaged Business Enterprises After committing to increasing the number of construction-related contracts awarded to disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) in 2012, RSD and OPSB made considerable progress towards their goals of 25 percent and 35 percent participation per project, respectively, during the school year. As of March 2014, DBEs had contracts valued at 16 percent ($40 million) of all open RSD contracts ($242 million) and 26 percent ($47 million) of all open OPSB contracts ($177 million). 79 Figure 13: Actual vs. Expected Costs, March 2014 Projected Budget (Dec. 2013) $1,718,102,874 22% Original Budget (2010, 2011) $1,413,983,455 Source: Jacobs/CSRS prepared for OPSB and LDOE, st Quarter Report, Status Date