Fall is here and we’re well into another strong start for schools this year.  At NSNO, we want to acknowledge the incredible work students, educators, and families are doing to deliver on the promise a new year brings. There’s so much momentum and joy from the past few years as schools are seeing more students achieving their goals and thriving in the classroom and beyond. We’re excited for what schools are accomplishing and know we are capable of even more. We see it every day and with each year.

A few weeks ago, our team had the opportunity to visit three incredible specialized programs within New Orleans public schools – Aurora Program at Harriet Tubman Charter, The ReNEW Therapeutic Program (RTP), and FirstLine Schools Discovery Plus Program. Each of these programs serve students with a wide range of exceptionalities, and represent a powerful commitment to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to excel. We were grateful for the opportunity to see these incredible programs up close and gained an even deeper appreciation for the impact of their work. These programs are strong examples of schools having the freedom to create spaces where every student has the tools and supports they need to thrive.

We dream of a day where every child in New Orleans can attend an incredible school that meets their unique needs and supports them to achieve their goals. We strive to realize our dream by investing resources in ways that create opportunities for more students and educators to thrive. Our commitment to excellence requires an adaptive approach to expand access to quality, sustainable schools that are focused on the unique needs of each student. As part of our work in the coming years, NSNO is focused on a plan to drive growth and sustainability for schools and programs to ensure students and educators can reach even greater heights.

Dana Peterson, CEO of New Schools for New Orleans

This school year started with great momentum as New Orleans students and teachers returned to schools excited about the prior year’s progress on the LEAP 2025 assessments, underscoring our community’s dedication to academic excellence.

Public schools in New Orleans saw significant growth in the number of students performing on grade level and students on track to do so. For the second consecutive year, schools in New Orleans surpassed the state average on growth to Mastery on the LEAP test in English and Math, ranking 3rd in the percentage of student growth toward proficiency. About 65% of schools saw performance growth, with 16 K-8 schools and 6 high schools boosting scores by 3 or more points.

NSNO applauds educators, students, and families for their achievements. Let’s continue striving for excellence, supporting student inside and outside classrooms, and celebrating our collective success. Thank you for working to deliver on the promise of a great education for all.

We are thrilled to announce the NOLA Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP), a groundbreaking partnership with Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), Tulane University, TNTP, and NSNO. This five-year program is supported by a federal grant that will bring over $8M into New Orleans to continue improvements to education in the city. TQP is a continuation of teacher and school leader pipeline work that NSNO has supported over the years through the TSL program which, in total, led to a federal investment of $14M over 3 years. TQP will play a pivotal role in addressing the critical need for more diverse, locally-invested school leaders and teachers throughout our city.

The NOLA TQP aims to prepare 182 leaders and 804 teachers for their certification, with a focus on building a more inclusive, culturally competent, and effective workforce. Moreover, through the Grow Your Own pathways, 350 aspiring educators will receive the mentorship and training needed to become the future of education in New Orleans. To learn more about the success and impact of GYO for teachers, like Ashira Jones who is not a first-year teacher at KIPP Central City, check out this nola.com article.

This initiative is especially important for our high-need schools, where 85% of students are economically disadvantaged, 92% are students of color, and a significant percentage receive special education or English Learner services. Together with our partners, we are advancing teacher preparation, leadership, and research-based strategies for recruitment and retention of great educators – particularly for teachers working with students who are furthest away from success.

We are committed to growing the next generation of great educators in New Orleans who reflect the diversity and vibrancy of our city, creating the equitable and inclusive learning environments our students deserve. This is a monumental step forward in building a stronger, more sustainable future for education!

The New Orleans Excellence in Teaching Awards (NOETA) Gala, an initiative of the Allstate Sugar Bowl New Orleans Teacher Community, will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. We are honored to announce that this year’s Gala will be sponsored by Entergy for the third year in a row. The NOETA is an enormous honor given to the teacher of the year from every public school in New Orleans. It is presented alongside a $1,000 Classroom Excellence Grant at the Gala. You can view this year’s honorees here.

We want to invite our community to help us celebrate and support these incredible educators who make a difference every day! You can do this by purchasing tickets or tables to the Gala to honor and recognize outstanding educators. You can also make a difference by contributing towards classroom grants that directly benefit our outstanding honorees. For more information, visit our event page.

The NOETA Gala is a spectacular evening filled with music, food, fun, and will feature a special, intimate concert with Tank and the Bangas! Make sure you get your tickets quickly as there is limited availability. If you are interested in VIP seating, please email julie@nsno.org.

You can take a peek at some of the highlights from last year in the video below!

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