Important Notice

Click here to view school transformation fact sheets

New Orleans, La. – Meeting its commitments outlined in What Will It Take?, the Recovery School District (RSD) today announced that it will transform nine of the lowest performing schools in the city – five high schools, three elementary schools and one K-12. Each of these schools failed to meet the required School Performance Score (SPS) threshold of 65, or a “D” letter grade, meaning as many as 60 to 75 percent of the students in these schools are not performing on grade level. These schools either will be transferred to proven charter school operators or will experience significant changes to their enrollments beginning in the 2012–2013 school year. Each transformation will be accompanied by a community engagement process which invites participation from parents, community members and stakeholders.

Previously transformed schools in the RSD have made remarkable gains over the past five years.  Seventy-six percent of RSD turnaround schools have performed better than their previous iterations, improving at a rate of five times the state average. Five years ago, only twenty-three percent of RSD students performed on grade level; today forty-eight percent do, making the RSD the fastest improving district in the state.  Today’s announcement also emphasizes the RSD’s commitment to transform failing New Orleans high schools.  Although the 2010–2011 graduation rates improved by nearly eight percentage points from 2009–2010, RSD officials confirm today that more fundamental change is needed to build a network of great high schools. 

“New Orleans schools have made unprecedented progress with their students,” said RSD Superintendent John White. “It is time that every child participate in that progress. Our parents and communities have made clear to us that they will not accept failing schools.”

The following direct-run schools are slated for transformation beginning next school year:

• Abramson Science & Technology Charter (K-8 and 9-12), 5552 Read Blvd.
•  George W. Carver High, 3059 Higgins Blvd.
•  Walter L. Cohen High, 3520 Dryades St.
• Joseph Craig Elementary, 1423 St. Philip St.
• Dr. Charles Drew Elementary, 3819 St. Claude Ave.
• Murray Henderson Elementary, 2701 Lawrence St.
•  John McDonogh High, 2426 Esplanade Ave.
• L.B. Landry High, 1200 L.B. Landry Ave.
• Sarah T. Reed High, 5316 Michoud Blvd.

Today’s announcement indicates that schools being transformed will be done so in one of the following ways:

1. The school will be fully transferred to a charter operator approved by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), beginning next school year.
2. A charter operator approved by BESE will take over operations for some grades, growing its role over time to include the entire school. Beginning next school year, the RSD and the new charter operator will provide academic and extracurricular supports for all students.
3. The school's enrollment will be changed, removing grade levels. 

Building on the State of Our Schools meetings held at struggling schools earlier this fall, the RSD will work with non-profit partners on an engagement process with parents and community members for each transformation.

In early November, the RSD will host another series of meetings at each transformation school with parents, students, community members and staff to answer questions, hear concerns and discuss each group’s vision for the school.  In February, new charter operators will be matched with schools based on the charter operator’s proven track record of success, their likelihood of achieving similar results, community input, facility and programmatic alignment, and citywide needs.

For details on each school being transformed for the 2012–2013 school year, click here to find a fact sheet that explains the rationale for transforming that school and implications for students enrolled at that school and those wishing to enroll in the new school program, if applicable.