Monday, May 9, 2011

John White Takes Over as RSD Superintendent Today

Today, former deputy chancellor of New York City public schools John White officially replaces Paul Vallas as Superintendent of the Recovery School District (RSD). He has oversight of the majority of public schools in New Orleans as well as a handful of schools across the state. In a Letter to the Editor in the Times-Picayune last week, Cowen Institute Associate Director Nash Molpus Crews welcomed the new superintendent:

"The Scott S. Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives at Tulane University is pleased to welcome John White as the new superintendent for the Recovery School District. The RSD has seen significant gains over the past several years, and we look forward to seeing these continue.

We also would like to bring attention to several issues that currently face the RSD. The RSD's recent draft vision statement proposes to improve low-performing schools in New Orleans by finding quality charter operators to run them. However, it may take months or even years to find enough charter operators with proven records of success. In the meantime, the RSD must take a hands-on approach and develop a specific plan to provide interventions and support for its direct-run schools.

Further, the RSD frequently makes decisions that have a major impact on schools, communities and education stakeholders. We hope that the superintendent will implement a transparent process to share objective procedures and reasoning for such decisions.

We are confident that Mr. White's experience, passion and expertise will enable him to successfully lead the RSD. The Cowen Institute looks forward to working with him and our other partners to ensure that all children in New Orleans have access to a high quality public school."

Click here to read the Letter to the Editor on the Times-Picayune's website.

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RSD Charter Schools Will Not Establish Attendance Zones This Year

Last month the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved a policy that allows elementary and middle school charters in the Recovery School District (RSD) to set aside up to 20 percent of their seats for students in an established neighborhood zone. The deadline for the charter schools to submit amendments to their charter agreements establishing neighborhood boundaries for next school year was April 22. No charter schools applied.

Charter schools that establish attendance zones and are less than three years old would forfeit eligibility for up to $600,000 in federal start-up dollars. Additionally, many schools were already too far into their enrollment process for next year to take advantage of the April 22 deadline. Schools will have the opportunity to apply again before the 2012-2013 school year. Tara O'Neill, Policy Manager at the Cowen Institute, provides ideas that should be thought of in the future related to attendance zones and enrollment processes for charter schools. Click here to read Tara's suggestions and more about attendance zones in the Times-Picayune.

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SUNO-UNO Merger Clears House Education Committee

Last Wednesday the House Education Committee voted 10-5 in favor of moving forward controversial H.B. 537, which provides for the merger of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) and the University of New Orleans (UNO). The debate was intense and lengthy, with a presentation by Higher Education Commissioner Jim Purcell followed by over five hours of testimony. The merger of SUNO and UNO, if approved, will have a profound impact on higher education opportunities for high school graduates in New Orleans.

Governor Jindal spoke in favor of the legislation, arguing that the consolidation would have a “generational impact” that would better serve students and the community. In opposition, legislators and Southern University officials argued that the merger would result in reduced educational opportunities for minority students. For more information on the proposed legislation and last week’s House Education Committee meeting, click here for an article in the Times-Picayune.

Regardless of the outcome of the SUNO-UNO merger, New Orleans’ high school graduates will face tougher admissions standards at local universities beginning in 2012. The new standards, approved in 2001 but going into affect next year, will require incoming freshmen at SUNO to either score 20 on the ACT college admissions test or have a minimum 2.0 GPA. Incoming students at UNO will need a 23 on the ACT or a minimum 2.5 GPA. By 2014, any high school graduate who needs remedial courses will have to take them at a community college before gaining admission to a four-year institution in Louisiana. Click here to read more about these changes in the Times-Picayune.

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Updated Lists of K-12 Education Bills

Each week we update our lists of bills and resolutions related to K-12 public education with the current status of each. Click the following links to download the lists:

• Summary all K-12 Education-Related Bills
• Top K-12 Education Bills to Watch

For more information on the 2011 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature, please see http://www.legis.state.la.us/.

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House Education Committee Activity

Last week, the House Education Committee met on Wednesday, May 4 and considered the following bills:

H.B. 537 (Tucker) – This bill provides for the merger of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) and the University of New Orleans (UNO). It was reported favorably with the recommendation to recommit to the Committee on Appropriations.
H.B. 549 (Tucker) – This bill provides for additional operational autonomies to be granted to public postsecondary education institutions and reporting requirements for such institutions and the Board of Regents, relative to the Louisiana Granting Resources and Autonomy for Diplomas (GRAD) Act. It was amended and reported favorably.

This week, the House Education Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 11 and Thursday, May 12 at 9:30 am each day in Committee Room 1. On Wednesday, the Cowen Institute will present the 2011 State of Public Education in Louisiana to the committee. (Click here to view the report.) Additionally, the following bills will be considered on Wednesday:

H.B. 31 (Hardy) – This bill requires BESE to adopt a policy requiring at least a "C" average for public school students in grades six through 12 to participate in interscholastic athletics.
H.B. 78 (Edwards) – This bill provides for changes to the auditing requirement that must be met for a school system to no longer be defined as academically in crisis.
H.B. 100 (Carter) – This bill changes the standard for the instrument used to measure student readiness before kindergarten.
H.B. 101 (Hardy) – This bill provides that school bus operators whose first date of employment with the school system is July 1, 2011 or later are not eligible for tenure, and provides specifications for the removal of certain operators.
H.B. 323 (Seabaugh) – This bill authorizes the Caddo Parish School Board to name the football field at Youree Drive Middle AP Magnet School in honor of Coach Tom Knox.
H.B. 419 (P. Smith) – This bill creates the Remedial Education Commission for the purposes of studying and reviewing educational services provided in public elementary and secondary schools and remedial education provided at public postsecondary education institutions and recommending best practices and strategies.
H.B. 421 (Carter) – This bill authorizes a charter school to reserve space at the school for children of employees of a corporation that makes a major donation to the school, and to provide for membership on its governing board for representatives of such a corporation.

The following bills will be considered on Thursday:

H.B. 112 (Badon) – This bill provides that in public school policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation, and bullying of students by students, terms are further defined to include acts motivated by characteristics such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, physical characteristic, political persuasion, mental disability, and physical disability as well as attire or association with others identified by such categories.
H.B. 311 (LaBruzzo) – This bill requires public school employees to report an arrest for certain sexual offenses involving minors.

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Senate Education Committee Activity

Last week, the Senate Education Committee met on Thursday, May 5 and considered the following bills:

S.B. 33 (LaFleur) – This bill requires BESE to adopt an approved list of textbooks and instructional materials for use in foreign language immersion programs. It was deferred.
S.B. 104 (LaFleur) – This bill requires BESE to establish a program to recognize excellence in foreign language immersion education. It was amended and reported favorably.
S.B. 183 (Appel) – This bill provides for the merger of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) and the University of New Orleans (UNO). It was deferred until next week. The Times-Picayune reported here that Senator Appel postponed the vote in order to draw up amendments.
S.B. 241 (Chaisson) – This bill provides for additional operational autonomies to be granted to public postsecondary education institutions and reporting requirements for such institutions and the Board of Regents, relative to the Louisiana Granting Resources and Autonomy for Diplomas (GRAD) Act. It was deferred.

This week, the Senate Education Committee will meet on Thursday, May 12, in the John J. Hainkel, Jr. Room upon adjournment of the regular floor session. The agenda is not yet available.

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