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New Leaders for New Schools

Greater New Orleans – Orleans and Jefferson Parish

Our Schools Impact & Results Recruitment & Admissions Information Sessions Supporters
Program Details Tyra Newell, Executive Director Carmalia Lee, Program Associate	Contact Information New Leaders for New Schools New Orleans 200 Broadway, Suite 108 New Orleans, LA 70118 504-267-1520 General Information: neworleansinfo@nlns.org

Greater New Orleans Podcast Series

Enjoy this compelling interview with New Leader Aqua Stovall, who candidly illuminates the New Leaders experience through her thoughtful, expansive and at times, poignant, first-hand insights. Ms. Stovall is currently one of sixteen New Leaders working to drive dramatic results in New Orleans, a city which continues to turn tragedy into both opportunity and triumph.

NOTE: If the media players fail to display, please click here. Our media is presented using Flash, version 9 or higher, technology.

Tony Recasner has been working to reform public education in his hometown of New Orleans for twenty years. While serving the community today as President of FirstLine Schools, Inc., Tony is also active in a variety of charitable and education organizations, and serves on the boards of New Schools for New Orleans, Teach for America, Children's Hospital, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation. In 1998, Tony co-founded the city's first charter school, New Orleans Charter Middle School, and in July of 2005, he founded S. J. Green Charter School, just one month before Hurricane Katrina's devastating blow. In this revealing and refreshingly open discussion on the past, present and future states of the city's public education system, Tony offers captivating, in-depth insights into a wide variety of subjects which, together, help illustrate his belief that when looked at from every angle, there's "nothing but upside" for the entire New Orleans community of today.

*Danielle Gasparro is a professional interviewer based in New York City. Ms. Gasparro has worked as a consultant with New Leaders for New Schools since 2006.

Our Schools

To move Greater New Orleans' most challenged schools to the highest level of academic achievement, New Leaders for New Schools Greater New Orleans has formed innovative partnerships with the Recovery School District, Jefferson Parish Public Schools, the Louisiana Department of Education and other educational, civic and business leaders to recruit, train, and support exemplary instructional leaders to lead traditional district and charter operated schools in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish.

There is an urgent need for great leaders in these districts to join in the effort to give every child a high-quality education.
• Only 50 percent of Louisiana's children come from families with incomes at least twice the poverty level, compared to a national average of 60 percent.
• Only 32 percent of Louisiana children come from families where at least one parent has a college degree, compared to 43 percent nationally.
• Louisiana continues to fall behind national averages for fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading, ranking anywhere from 46th to 49th, depending on the subject.

The New Leaders for New Schools Greater New Orleans Program began in New Orleans in 2007 and expanded into Jefferson Parish in 2009.

Public Education in New Orleans

Hurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005, and the subsequent flooding of New Orleans, presented the New Orleans public school system with both tragedy and opportunity. Before Hurricane Katrina, the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) operated 127 schools that enrolled over 65,000 students. A vastly different system has emerged since the storm. As a result, the public education landscape in New Orleans has several new, and in some cases, unique features:

• 86 public schools in New Orleans are run by multiple different operators, including the Orleans Parish School Board, the Recovery School District, and various charter school operators.
• 57% of public school students now attend charter schools, more than any other urban school district in the country.
• In most cases, parents now have the choice to send their children to any public school in New Orleans where they can gain admission, regardless of where they live.

Though the system of schools has experienced radical change, the context in which it operates remains similar to before Katrina, and new challenges have emerged:

• Public school students in New Orleans are overwhelmingly poor. 83% of students are eligible to receive free or reduced lunches compared to 63% statewide.
• New Orleans overall population is approximately 63% minority, while public school students are nearly 95% minority- primarily African-American.
• Across the systems, but especially in the RSD-run and RSD charter schools, the majority of students are well below grade level.

Successes: The 2007-2008 school year began more smoothly than the previous year. The following are successes achieved since the end of the 2006-2007 school year:

• Strong new leadership has emerged at the state and local levels.
• The community is much more involved in schools than before Katrina.
• The number of 4th graders who passed the LEAP test, the state promotional exam, increased by 12 percentage points; the number of 8th graders passing increased by 4 percentage points from the 2006-2007 school year to the 2007-2008 school year.

While many challenges remain, promising results can be seen. Early indicators of success should be observed. These include parent and teacher perceptions of improvement, increased student engagement and attendance, and some incremental improvements in test scores. So far we are able to observe that teachers, parents, and students feel that the public schools in New Orleans are improving. That is a definite step in the right direction.

Source: “The State of Public Education in New Orleans 2008,” a report prepared by The Scott S. Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives at Tulane University. If you would like to read more, you can access the full report at:
http://education.tulane.edu/documents/080417SPENOReportFINAL.pdf.

Public Education in Jefferson Parish

One of the side effects of Hurricane Katrina's devastation is that Jefferson Parish emerged as the largest school district in the Greater New Orleans area. Among its challenges of serving a large population, the major focus of JPPSS is to improve the academic achievement of its students.

The Jefferson Parish Public School System is the second largest district in the state of Louisiana and is nationally ranked in the top 100 for student enrollment.

• There are 86 schools located on the east and west banks of Jefferson Parish with a total enrollment of more than 43,000 students.
• Employees total more than 6,200, of which almost 3,000 are teachers.
• 96% of the school district's teachers are state certified and 123 teachers are nationally board certified, which is the highest in the state. Web site: www.jppss.k12.la.us
• Only 57% of the district's students are proficient in reading, and only 54% are proficient in math.

To learn more about the schools in each parish, please visit:
www.nolapublicschools.net
www.jppss.k12.la.us

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Impact & Results

The Greater New Orleans program has grown to train and support 24 New Leaders and currently serves nearly 5,000 students. New Orleans New Leaders are providing needed leadership in 14 different schools, including traditional district schools in both Orleans Parish and Jefferson Parish, and open-enrollment charter schools in Orleans Parish.

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Recruitment & Admissions

New Leaders for New Schools Greater New Orleans aggressively recruits extremely talented people to become urban school principals. Through a combination of rigorous coursework delivered by nationally recognized experts, a full-time year-long residency with a Host Principal, and intensive work with a Leadership Coach with a proven track record as a principal, New Leaders offers unique preparation to enter the urban principalship.

Requirements:

The technical requirements for admission into the Greater New Orleans (Orleans and Jefferson Parish) program are the following:
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited university
• A minimum of 3 years of full-time experience teaching in a K-12 classroom
• Hold or be eligible to hold a valid Louisiana Type B or Level 2 teaching certificate or have a comparable level out-of-state teaching certificate*

*Potential candidates who do not meet the teaching certificate requirements may still apply to New Orleans (Orleans Parish) if they possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university and have three years of K-12 teaching experience. However, if accepted, these candidates will not become certified and will only be eligible to become principals in charter schools (where certification is not required).

Out-of-state candidates must have the equivalent of a Louisiana Level 2 or Type B teaching certificate to be eligible for administrator certification. The Level 2 Louisiana certificate requires a minimum of 3 years of experience teaching in your certified area and completion of a new teacher assessment program (equivalent to LaTAAP in Louisiana). To determine if your out-of-state teaching certificate is equivalent to a Level 2, please call the Louisiana Department of Education at 1-877-453-2721.

Information Sessions
We encourage you to sign up for an information session to learn more about our program. CLICK HERE to view a schedule of sessions in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish.

If you have further questions about the Orleans Parish or Jefferson Parish program, please contact: Carmalia Lee at carmalia.lee@nlns.org

Why New Orleans?
Since Hurricane Katrina, much has changed and much has stayed the same in New Orleans. Although many challenges remain on the road to rebuilding the city, residents still have the same intense pride and sense of identity they had before the storm. Recent estimates put the city's population somewhere around 300,000, about 65% of its pre-storm level.

Since the storm, an unprecedented public education reform initiative has emerged. Nearly everyone in the New Orleans education community agrees that positive changes are taking place. Young professionals in education, and many from other industries, have moved to New Orleans to be a part of this exciting time of change and rebuilding. These new arrivals, along with New Orleans natives, are reinventing the city as a laboratory for urban reform and renewal. The drive and passion of these individuals is essential to making the city a better place for all of its residents, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. Those invested in transforming public education in New Orleans believe we have the opportunity to create a model for public education that shows high academic achievement is possible for all students across the city. The breach of the levees brought much tragedy and devastation but it also created much hope and opportunity for public education.

The distinctive culture of New Orleans remains as strong as ever. Called by many the most unique city in the United States, the music and food are world-renowned. No matter what kind of music you like, you can find it playing live somewhere in the city- from jazz to funk to classical, African, Caribbean, hip-hop, blues, rock, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, R & B, Latin, and much more. For food, you can feast on anything from po-boys to haute cuisine- there are delicious treats for every palate at the city's over 900 restaurants.

New Orleans, of course, is also known for its many festivals and celebrations. The most famous is Mardi Gras, which falls the day before Ash Wednesday. The city spends several weeks celebrating Carnival with parades, costumes, crawfish boils and other gatherings leading up to the big day. Also renowned is the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, or Jazz Fest, which occurs each spring. Jazz Fest features internationally renowned musicians as well as local artists across twelve stages, showcasing all types of music. New Orleans is also home to two professional sports teams, the Saints and the Hornets, as well as a minor-league baseball team, and a variety of college and high school sports. No matter what time of year, something is always happening!

Each neighborhood has its own feel and spirit. The good news is, no matter what part of the city you live in, it is no more than a 20 minute drive to any other part of the city. For more information about specific neighborhoods and facts and figures from pre- and post-Katrina New Orleans, please visit the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center at http://www.gnocdc.org/.

Why Jefferson Parish?
If you are looking for a whole lot of food, fun, and festivals in a family-oriented environment, then Jefferson Parish is the place to be. In its sixty-mile stretch from Lake Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico and separated by the Mississippi River into East and West banks, it is easy to find something that will appeal to everyone. The outdoors person can enjoy fishing, canoeing, camping, and hiking at any of the national parks in Jefferson Parish. Sports enthusiasts can watch a baseball game at Zephyr Stadium in Metairie, home of the New Orleans Zephyrs or they can practice their golf skills at the TPC Golf Course in Avondale. In the historic Rivertown district of Kenner, there is music, magic, puppetry, dance, and opera to entertain families. In addition, there are educational experiences including the Planetarium and the Freeport-McMoRan Science Complex. Of course, one cannot forget the more than 50 festivals that take place throughout the year including Bridge City’s Gumbo Festival, the Gretna Heritage Festival, the Westwego Cypress Swamp Festival, and the Laketown Festival. All this, in addition to the greatest festival ever --Mardi Gras!

Jefferson Parish Cities/Towns: Avondale, Bridge City, Grand Isle, Gretna, Harahan, Harvey, Kenner, Marrero, Metairie, Town of Jean Lafitte, Waggaman, and Westwego

“Jefferson Parish: So Close…Yet, A World Away” (Jefferson Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau)

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Supporters

This is a list of your key local supporters, such as local Foundations or individuals.

Arnold Family Foundation
The Broad Foundation
Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
Scott S. Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives
John and Ann Doerr
Doris & Donald Fisher Fund
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Greater New Orleans Foundation
Leslie Jacobs
Walter Isaacson
JPMorgan Foundation
New Schools for New Orleans
Edward G. Schlieder Educational Foundation
State of Louisiana
The Walton Family Foundation

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Regional Information

Meet a New Leader

New Leader Profiles (pdf)
A snapshot of local New Leaders with summary bios and "in their own words" program impressions.

Additional Resources

NOLA Parents Guide
In-depth information about every public school in Orleans Parish.

The State of New Orleans Public Education
Report by the Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives at Tulane University.

Schools Overview -
Report Supplement (pps)
Source: Cowen Institute

Educate Now!
Educate Now! is a nonprofit organization dedicated to effective and sustainable reform of New Orleans public schools. Their mission... [more]

Articles

School principals sought for struggling campuses in Jefferson Parish
The Times-Picayune,
February 2, 2009

Growing Pains and Great Expectations, By Caitlin Corrigan
The New York Times,
October 20, 2008

Opening a School Draws on All of Founders' Skills,
Education Week,
September 8, 2008

A Teachable Moment,
The New York Times Magazine,
August 14, 2008

Changes at New Orleans Schools Bring Gains in Test Scores,
The New York Times,
May 7, 2008

The Greatest Education Lab,
Time Magazine,
September 17, 2007

The Schools that Katrina Built,
The Boston Globe,
October 14, 2007

A proven superintendent and a hotshot group of educators are inspiring others to bring their skills to New Orleans,
The Times-Picayune, May 26, 2007

Schoolhouse Rockers,
Gambit Weekly,
May 22, 2007

New Orleans: Looking for a Few Good Principals,
USA Today,
April 10, 2007

New Orleans Native Returns to Repair Schools,
The Boston Globe,
March 25, 2007

Reading, Writing, Resurrection,
The Atlantic Monthly,
January 1, 2007