Over the past three years, NSNO and our partners have eliminated the city’s teacher shortage so that there can now be an increased focus on long-term quality solutions.
- 420 teachers recruited to serve in 96% of open-enrollment New Orleans public charter schools
- 19 school leaders recruited to lead open-enrollment New Orleans public charter schools
Through our new school initiatives, NSNO has dramatically increased the number of high-performing schools and established the opportunity for the growth of high-quality charter networks.
- 10 schools launched that will serve 5500 students and make-up 15% of New Orleans public schools
- 3 local charter management organizations provided with over $125,000 in seed funding
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21 start-up grants given to support the development of over 90% of newly approved charters
NSNO's advocacy efforts have played a significant role in aligning political actors around an aggressive reform agenda and bringing to the education landscape proven, high-quality providers focused on closing the achievement gap.
- 36 charter school boards trained to support the management of 91% of charter schools citywide
- 2 data-driven instruction support providers incubated to serve over 50% of charter schools
- 1 parent organizing network incubated which has published over 50,000 parent guides
- 1 special education cooperative incubated to support over 25% of open-enrollment charter schools
Though it's still early in the redevelopment of public education in New Orleans, the impact of New Schools for New Orleans on education in the city is tangible.
Talented teachers and principals lead the charge in New Orleans
Hundreds of exceptional teachers and principals fill positions in public schools.
Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, New Schools for New Orleans developed strategic partnerships with teachNOLA and
New Leaders for New Schools in order to place qualified teachers and principals in New Orleans schools and give them the
training they need to succeed. In less than 2 years, teachNOLA has filled over 25% of the vacant teaching positions in New
Orleans. Moreover, New Leaders for New Schools has pledged the placement of 40 principals in public schools by the 2010-2011 year.
New Schools for New Orleans will continue to support the development of high-quality human capital in our city's schools
through these partnerships.
Giving public schools the support they need
Since it was founded in April of 2006, New Schools for New Orleans has provided newly developing and existing schools with significant financial, operational, and legal support. NSNO has also supported open-enrollment public charter schools by matching qualified board members with charter schools throughout the city, and training charter school boards. Over the coming years NSNO will continue to provide regular financial support to fund new operators and providers, and will help develop effective boards that will guide our schools to success.
Lending a voice to public schools in New Orleans
New Orleans parents gain access to information about all public schools in New Orleans for the first time in our city's history.
Making sure that schools are held to the highest standard is an ongoing effort. New Schools for New Orleans serves as a
strong voice for public schools in the city by advocating on their behalf with policy makers in the community. Additionally,
NSNO has spearheaded the distribution of the New Orleans Parents' Guide to Public Schools. This critical publication is a
resource parents can use to better understand the New Orleans public school landscape.
Dramatic Gains in Student Achievement
School performance in New Orleans has improved dramatically since NSNO was founded in 2006.
Due to dramatic gains in student performance, the number of failing schools in New Orleans has been significantly reduced. In 2005, only 37% of Orleans Parish schools were performing at the state's minimum level of academic acceptability. Now, that number is 58%--an increase of 21 percentage points.
Since 2005, district scores have tripled the state's overall growth. New Orleans is the most improved area in the state, and our rate of progress is significantly higher than other school districts. From 2005 to 2009, the state's average increased only by 3.6 percentage points, while New Orleans saw a growth of 13.7 percentage points. Student performance in Math and English showed significant gains last year, and high school graduation rates continue to rise.
New Schools for New Orleans will continue to collaborate with partners across the city to ensure this trajectory toward excellence, and push for much higher levels of success, as we work to achieve our vision: excellent public schools for every child in New Orleans.