New Schools for New Orleans, an education nonprofit that works with the city’s network of charter schools, was awarded a $14.3 million federal grant by the Department of Education to address teacher retention and recruitment in some of the city’s largest charter systems.
The three-year grant will provide funding to the six largest charter organizations in New Orleans, the nonprofit announced on Thursday.
“This is the biggest challenge that public schools in our country face, particularly in rural areas and urban districts, that is how we recruit and retain great teachers for kids,” Alex Jarrell, the group’s chief innovation officer, said, noting the coronavirus pandemic and Hurricane Ida have exacerbated the problem. “We’re in a crisis across the country.”