[This article appeared in Gambit‘s August 20th Back to School issue. Read the full article here.]
Public education in New Orleans has vastly improved in the last fifteen years. Our city’s graduation rate has skyrocketed from just over 50% in 2004 to almost 80% today. The percentage of students eligible for the state’s TOPS college scholarship has nearly doubled in that time. More children are being prepared to reach their dreams because our schools are stronger than ever.
Importantly, our unified system of schools in New Orleans is diverse in type and model. The public schools in New Orleans give families the chance to choose the environment that’s best for their child. Our schools vary in educational philosophy, extracurricular offerings, size, and style; we have college-preparatory schools, arts-focused schools, Montessori schools, international and language-immersion schools, and more. No matter the neighborhood a child grows up in, they can apply to the school that fits their needs through OneApp.
One of these unique schools is Élan Academy on the West Bank…
