Graduation Deferred
There has been a number of really interesting developments related to New Orleans schools over the last several months. The Recovery School District, which oversees many of the public schools in Orleans Parish, has been making some serious bureaucratic headway under Superintendent Paul Vallas.
Yet, so many questions remain unanswered.
This long piece in the Times-Picayune by Sarah Carr on Mr. Vallas reflects a balanced assessment of his administration, incorporating critiques that had previously been marginalized by the news cycle’s short term memory.
Mr. Vallas has been given what he himself admits is the least red tape out of any superintendent in the nation. He has been given the benefit of the doubt to spend copious amounts of money with little oversight.
The question I have raised in response to the article and the question that I ask you to ponder is: For what are we “buying momentum?”
The Recovery School District, administered by the state of Louisiana and Paul Pastorak, has been empowered as a stop-gap bureaucracy to shepherd Orleans Parish public schools while our municipal capacity rebuilds. The eventual goal has always been to have a unified school district controlled by local voters.
The spending practices of Paul Vallas and the expansion of the state’s bureaucratic reach into Orleans Parish education seem to indicate that the RSD is entrenching itself as a educational power player rather than facilitating the reintegration of local oversight.
One aspect of that is expansion by contraction through the privatization of schools using charters and vouchers.
Charters have been a big part of Paul Vallas’ M.O. dating back to his time in Chicago. Since he has come to New Orleans, the RSD has shepherded 26 schools to charter operators.
This week, the State Senate approved a voucher program for Orleans Parish that will directly subsidize private education using public money. It is close to becoming enshrined in law.
Ultimately, to me, this design inflates test scores by concentrating energy and attention on select schools, students, and communities while others are left as outliers.
Another important initiative to monitor is the upcoming release of the RSD’s ten year master plan. Originally scheduled for release this month, it is now appearing that it will not become public until August.
This is critical. The RSD and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education have been preparing a master plan that will govern the future capacity of the New Orleans public school system.
The master plan included a public participation component that many members of our community believe was disingenuous by design.
Back in December, the RSD had already pulled demolition permits several school buildings. Not only was this well in advance of the completion of the master plan, but it also predated any community involvement process.
Lockett School at Piety and Law was on the demolition list. A case against demolition of the main building may have been compelling. I say “may have been” because this is Lockett today:
These are the stakes.
Many local bloggers have stories about the state of New Orleans schools. There is a lot more out there, particularly about the inherent and practical inequality of charter schools.
Please keep up with G-Bitch, Liprap, and I. These stories are not going away.
Also, the Frederick Douglass Community Coalition is beginning to mount some opposition to the RSD as a result of unpopular short term plans for Frederick Douglass High School. I urge you to check them out and attend the next meeting.
Also, TONIGHT at 6pm Paul Pastorek and Paul Vallas will hold a public meeting at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, 2515 Franklin Ave. Go ask questions.
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