FAILURE NO MORE Transforming A New Orleans

FAILURE NO MORE ! Transforming A New Orleans Public School

Lafayette Academy BODY COPY

New Orleans Public Schools: q New Orleans Schools Pre- Katrina: BODY COPY • One of the worst school districts in country Lowest performing in state • Valedictorian of Fortier High School failed exit exam 6 times • FBI opened office to investigate rampant corruption q Recovery School District (RSD): • Created in 2003: Academic Failure • 5 schools in RSD q November, 2005: • All but 16 schools placed in the RSD • City shuttered: empty buildings •

7 years later: System of Schools: …Not a School System BODY COPY q 2 Governing Authorities • OPSB • BESE • Both can operate or charter schools q 85% Attend Charter schools

Most Market Driven System… with a Fence BODY COPY Schools Compete for Employees Compete for Students Vendors Compete to Serve Schools System of Schools Serves All Students • Enrollment • Expulsion “At Will” Employer

Nonprofits Performing Central Office Functions: Support for Charters: BODY COPY • Talent recruitment and Development (TFA, Teach NOLA, New Leaders, Leading Educators) • Special Education Support (SUNS Center) • Interim assessments: Achievement Network • Parent’s guide & support for Parent Choice: PONS + Urban League • Lobbying: Louisiana Public Charter School Association • Incubation & scaling of charter operators: New Schools for New Orleans

BODY COPY RESULTS

Same Demographic Profile of Student: Pre Katrina 10/1/11 65, 000 42, 000 African American Students 93% 88% Hispanic 0% 3% Free and Reduced Lunch 77% 83% BODY COPY Number of Students

#1 in growth in LA since 2005 District Performance Score: All students, All Tests, All Performance Levels BODY COPY

Closing the Gap Percent of Black Students Basic or Above (Proficiency Goal) BODY COPY All Grades, All Tests (E, M, S, SS) 53% 51% 40% Louisiana 31% New Orleans 32% 21% 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2007* 2008 2009 2010 2011 * No 2006 data due to Katrina

Career and College Ready BODY COPY Entering Freshmen On Time Graduates TOPS Eligible 2005 2012 100 students 52 students with diploma 76. 5 students with diploma 13 students (25% of grads) 30 students (39% of grads) $ $ 130% increase Exceeds nat’l avg. of white students

BODY COPY Highlights of the New Orleans Experience

Drivers of Success q Quality Chartering: • • • BODY COPY Rigorous Authorizing Performance Requirements Incubation and Support q The Market Driven System: Autonomy/Charters/Choice • School picking teacher; Teacher picking school q Human Capital, Human Capital • • Need exceptional- not just average School Leaders- most important • • 1 in 3 school leaders TFA alumni Quality Teachers • TFA and TNTP: one in 4 teachers

Different Turnaround Strategies q Turnarounds BODY COPY Fully occupied School • • • Veteran, proven school leaders or Veteran CMO Leadership providing strong support More veteran, traditionally certified teachers q “Fresh Start” q “Empty” Building • • • Build slowly; Focus early on Culture (KIPP) Many first time principals TFA, Teach. NOLA more prominent

Challenges: The Community Voice q School Community BODY COPY • Parents, Neighborhoods, Alumni • • • Access: Neighborhood schools vs choice Who Operates Charter: Community Groups vs “Outsiders” Who Decides: What role/voice for the community q General Community • • Vocal Minority: Us vs Them Return of Schools to the Elected School Board

Challenges, continued q Long Term Governance: BODY COPY • RSD not meant to be permanent q New Role of Governing Authority: • Portfolio management: number and types of schools; Equity q Getting from C to A: • • • Human Capital and energy Financial Sustainability Maintaining push for quality: political will to close “D” schools?

BODY COPY Choice Foundation

Choice Foundation Quick Facts: Choice Foundation is a nonprofit corporation, founded by James M. Huger in 2004, to promote school choice issues in Louisiana. BODY COPY Choice Foundations currently has three elementary schools: • Lafayette Academy Charter • Esperanza Charter • Mc. Donogh 42 Charter

Opening Day: BODY COPY

Our Mission: To prepare students for success in a college BODY COPY preparatory high school in an atmosphere that challenges and supports each student to achieve his or her highest potential.

Lafayette Academy: A Thumbnail Sketch q q Public charter BODY COPY Largest elementary • Grades Served: PK – 8 • Students served: 940 Fine arts, technology, Athletics q q Turnaround with veteran New Orleans natives

Lafayette Academy Charter School: Charter was granted in 2006 to take over a failed New Orleans Public School. q BODY COPY q The board is a local foundation. q The board hired a for-profit management firm to run the school for 2006 -2007. q That firm failed, and the board hired a new Principal for 2007 -2008.

Lafayette Academy Charter School is NOT BODY COPY q a selective enrollment/magnet charter school q a school that “creams” neighborhoods q a school that excludes special needs students q a school that requires a parental contract q a school that expels students for poor grades q a school modeled after any national CMO

Lafayette Academy Charter School IS a school that BODY COPY q provides as many services as we can to our families and students q follows RTI processes q provides FAPE q partners with our community q works with community groups in poor areas of town to get their schools re-opened q agnostic about the format of education reform

Post-Katrina PTSD Jade takes a deep breath and says, “The water BODY COPY started coming so fast, my dad managed to make a hole in the roof. My brother Jay went up first, my sister Monica went up next, then it was my turn to go up. I was scared, I took a long time to get up through the hole and finally got up, then my mom. But when it was dad’s turn the water was so high and he went under and never came up. We had to sit there and watch my father die. After that, we sat in the superdome for three days until we flew to Texas. We met up with my aunt that lived there.

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Lafayette Academy Charter School Special Programs and Accomplishments BODY COPY q Extensive community partnerships. q Championship sports teams. q Championship Debate Team. q Asked by the state to take over more failing schools. q Only charter school in the state with an automatic charter renewal.

Lafayette Academy Charter School Demographics BODY COPY q 940 students, Grades PK-8. q Largest elementary school in New Orleans. q 96% f/r lunch. q 110 IEPs q 96 504 s. q 85 homeless students q 99% African American.

Albert’s Mom Did Not Cook My mom does not cook. We were hungry so BODY COPY we decided to walk to the corner store. But, when we walked out the door, our mom told us to come back in the house. We asked can we go to the store and mom said, “No. ” So we watched TV. Around noontime we played a game. Then it was nighttime and we were very hungry. My mom got up and put on her clothes. We told her we were hungry. She brought us out to eat. It was a happy ending to a very hungry day.

Lafayette Academy Charter School July 1, 2007 BODY COPY q There were few teaching materials. q The building was filthy. q There were 327 missing window panes. q Many of the floor tiles were missing, and the subflooring was rotten. q Only 45% of the teachers returned. q Everything screamed, “You are not important to us!” to the students!

Lafayette Academy Charter School July 1, 2007 BODY COPY q There was no payroll system, no benefits. q We had to create a business office. q There were no service vendors. q We had to hire 45 people in three weeks. q We had to prepare for a lawsuit with the old management firm. q We had very little time to think about school design or instruction until December.

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The Problem We All Live With BODY COPY

A Thumbnail Sketch: 87% of our students live BODY COPY in Hollygrove, Pension Town and Gert Town q Total Budget: $ 9 million q Payroll Budget: $ 6. 3 million q

Our Foundation’s Values: q Respect BODY COPY • We respect ourselves. • We respect others. • We respect our teachers and our school. q Responsibility • We take responsibility for our education. • We take responsibility for our actions. • We take responsibility for our school. q Reach • We reach for excellence. • We reach beyond ourselves. • We reach to make the world a better place.

Our Team: q BODY COPY Employees: q 124 Teachers: 86 Admin and Support Staff: 15 q Specials Teachers: 9 q

Lafayette Academy BODY COPY Total Instructional Alignment Data. Driven Instruction Extensive Student Support The Lafayette Academy Model

Total Instructional Alignment All aspects of instruction are organized to assure students BODY COPY grasp state’s standards – and beyond. Monitor Student Progress Identify Instructional Goals Align Curriculum to State Standards Administer Incremental Testing Fill Gaps with Targeted Materials

Total Instructional Alignment: Staffing 9: 1 student-teacher BODY COPY ratio q q Assistant heads • academics • school culture q Division Heads q Co-teachers q Instructional support

Total Instructional Alignment: Classroom Common grade level BODY COPY planning q Problem-solving sessions q q “Deep” lesson plans q Special interventions reading • math •

Data-driven instruction Collect data from daily work, weekly tests, BODY COPY standardized tests to drive instruction Software Administrative Oversight Data-Driven Instruction Teacher Made Tests Incremental Assessments

Data Driven Instruction: Testing Student placement at BODY COPY beginning of year q Weekly teacher-made tests q q Standardized tests DIBELS • DRA • Target. Teach Fundamentals • Target. Teach Interim Assessments •

Data Driven Instruction: Assessments & Software q. Formal interim BODY COPY assessments q. Pacing calendars q. Teacher-made assessments q. Software packages

Data-Driven Instruction: Administrative Oversight Division head BODY COPY supervision q Routine classroom visits q Professional development built around student and teacher performance q

Extensive Student Support A wide variety of in-house and community services BODY COPY support our students and families. Special Social Education Work Program Extensive Program Student Support Community Partnerships Extra. Curricular Program

Extensive Student Support: Social Work Initiatives q. BODY COPY Healthcare q Mental health Second Harvest Food Program q q Others

Extensive Student Support: Sped Programs q Open admissions policy BODY COPY One special education teacher for every grade level, minimum q One additional instructional support teacher for every grade level, minimum q Utilize inclusion model and resource room q

Extensive Student Support: Community Partnerships BODY COPY q Volunteer Programs Junior League of GNO, Tulane University, Junior Achievement, Xavier University, As and Aces • q Educational partners Incarnate Word, Carrollton-Dunbar Headstart, Royal Castle Child Development Center • q Others Second Harvest, Louisiana Outdoor Opportunity Program, Trinity Christian Community, 2 nd District Police, 100 Black Women •

Extensive Student Support: Extra-curricular activities BODY COPY q Sports q Debate Team q Band q Choir q Color Guard q Dance Team q Majorettes q Cheerleaders

How We Make the Money Work BODY COPY

Business Office Structure BODY COPY FINANCE OPERATIONS Accounting Facility & Maint. Services Budget Management Food Service Management Enrollment Management Information Technology Financial Analysis Insurance & Risk Mgmt. Grants Management Janitorial Services Human Resources Safety & Security Payroll Processing Student Transportation

Business Office Functions BODY COPY q Performs all functions of “central office” in a traditional public school system. q Interacts with all stakeholders daily including students, parents, employees, board members, vendors, federal/state officials and the public.

2012 -13 Budget Overview BODY COPY q Total Rev. /Exp. – $9 Million q Rev. /Exp. per Student - $9, 500 q Major Revenue Source – State Funds (81%) q Major Expenses – Personnel (70%)

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The Model BODY COPY q q q 9: 1 Student/Teacher Ratio 2 Assistant Heads of School 5 Academic Division Heads Co-Teachers Instructional Support Staff

Funding The Model q Leftover BODY COPY Fed. /State Funds from prior charter holders ($1. 3 Million in ‘ 07 -’ 08) q Large Student Population = Increased State Funds ($7. 3 Million in ‘ 12 -’ 13) q Federal NCLB • Title Funds - 1, 2, 3 and 4 ($732 K in ‘ 12 -’ 13) • IDEA Funds - Part B and Pre-School ($201 K in ‘ 12 -’ 13) q Federal PCSP - $600 K over 3 years (‘ 07 – ’ 09)

NCLB Budget Excerpt BODY COPY

School Performance Scores BODY COPY

Josephine Luke’s BODY COPY th 8 Grade Class of 1952

Helen Dufour’s BODY COPY th 8 Grade Class of 1952