Fanfare, balloons and bouquets greeted three Recovery School District (RSD) students at their schools today when RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard and Executive Director of Achievement Monica Boudouin came to personally announce that they had been selected as the District’s 2012 Students of the Year.  Read More ...

In September, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) announced an initiative that allows states to apply for flexibility waivers from federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) regulations in exchange for rigorous and comprehensive state-developed plans designed to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. Today, the Louisiana Department of Education posted a preliminary draft that outlines a proposed NCLB waiver application for Louisiana.  Read More ...

Without question, the digital age has transformed the workplace, and organizations that hesitate to keep pace with technology can quickly find themselves behind the curve. At the same time, education leaders recognize the unlimited power digital holds for improving teaching and learning in the classroom. To highlight the potential of digital learning, Louisiana, along with 36 other states and the District of Columbia, is participating in the inaugural National Digital Learning Day today.  Read More ...

Three Recovery School District (RSD) students will take center court on Friday, Jan. 27 in the New Orleans Arena to be recognized as winners of the Hornets MVP Essay Contest. The contest is part of the Most Valuable Pupil (MVP) Program presented by Chevron. Read More ...

To meet the diverse needs of New Orleans high school students, the Recovery School District (RSD) today announced its plan to offer a variety of new career and technical programs for students seeking industry-based certifications; additional accelerated programs for students who are behind academically; and a robust system of placement options for struggling students. Read More ...

The Recovery School District (RSD) today announced the match of four high-quality charter management organizations to operate schools previously announced for transformation - two elementary and two high schools - beginning fall 2012.  Read More ...

Today, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education John White appointed Patrick Dobard as the Interim Superintendent of the state-run Recovery School District (RSD). Dobard, a career educator and New Orleans native, will transition into the role from his current position as Deputy Superintendent of Community and Policy for the RSD. Read More ...

Today, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) selected John White as Louisiana’s new State Superintendent of Education. The appointment was made during a special called meeting in Baton Rouge. White’s term as the state education chief becomes effective immediately. Read More ...

Following the resignation of former State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek in May and the recently announced resignation of Acting State Superintendent of Education Ollie Tyler, Louisiana’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) is tasked with identifying a new chief to lead the state’s elementary and secondary education system. Earlier today, the BESE posted notice of a Special Called Meeting to discuss the appointment. The meeting will be held Wednesday, January 11 at noon, in the Louisiana Purchase Room of the Claiborne Building (1201 North Third Street). Read More ...

For years Louisiana public schools had dismal graduation numbers. But this fall the state announced a high school graduation rate of almost 71 percent - an all time high and just barely under the national average. How did the state do it? NBC Chief Education Correspondent Rehema Ellis takes a look. Read More ...

Louisiana has been awarded a $17.4 million Round Three Race to the Top (R2T) grant. The state is among seven states that will share the $200 million, according to the announcement made by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) today. Only nine states that were runner-ups in Phase Two were eligible to apply for the third round of the federal grant. Read More ...

The Recovery School District (RSD) today announced the final building assignments for schools currently operating in temporary space. This announcement fulfills the District’s commitment, as outlined in Commitment 10 of What Will It Take?, to have long-term homes identified for existing programs by the end of the year. Since Katrina, many public schools have had to operate out of trailers or temporary space, and until now these school programs have not known where their long-term homes would be. Read More ...

Today, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) submitted its Round Three Race to the Top (R2T) application. Only nine states that were runners-up in Phase Two are eligible to apply for Phase Three and a share of the $200 million federal education grant. Two states, South Carolina and California, did not submit complete applications. Based on Louisiana’s population, Louisiana is eligible for $17.4 million. Read More ...

Today, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) outlined strategic mid-year reductions. Read More ...

Fulfilling its commitment to develop and launch a citywide enrollment system in 2012, the Recovery School District (RSD) today introduced a new and more transparent public school enrollment process for elementary and high school students. The new process will be more convenient for parents and will create a level playing field for all families to choose charter and direct-run schools. Read More ...

Today, Acting State Superintendent of Education Ollie Tyler notified the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) that she would be leaving the Louisiana Department of Education in January. Tyler has been serving as the chief leader for Pre-K-12 education since mid-May, following the resignation of former State Superintendent Paul Pastorek. Read More ...

Out of the 40 charter school applications submitted this fall, today the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) announced it will recommend the approval of 18 applications. LDOE’s recommendations mirror those made by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), which manages the independent evaluation process on behalf of LDOE and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). The BESE, which is tasked with authorizing Type 2, Type 4, and Type 5 charter schools, will vote on LDOE recommendations during its regular meeting next week. Read More ...

Today, more than 400 local and state educators from across South Louisiana gathered in Lafayette for the first of two regional College and Career Readiness (CCR) Summits. The two-day Summit, "Tools for Schools: Making It Work!," is being hosted by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and features exemplary programs and best practices from schools and districts that have succeeded in raising student achievement. School counselors, teachers, principals and district leaders in attendance are also learning more about middle and high school initiatives offered by the LDOE. Read More ...

As outlined in Commitment 9 of What Will It Take?, the Recovery School District (RSD) today announced the process being used to make building assignments for schools in temporary space, as well as its specific recommended assignments. Next week, the district will host a series of community meetings to gather feedback on those recommendations. Final assignments will be announced in December. Read More ...

Today, the Recovery School District (RSD) follows through on plans outlined in Commitment 8 of What Will It Take? by announcing a streamlined communications system for parents, the availability of Spanish and Vietnamese interpretation/translation services, and schedules for ongoing parent and student discussions. These services will make it easier for parents and students to get information, get issues resolved, and give the district feedback. Read More ...

Today the Louisiana Department of Education announced that two schools, Mermentau Elementary School in Acadia Parish and Southside Elementary School in Livingston Parish, are to be honored by the National Title I Directors Association and Distinguished Schools Program for exceptional student performance. Both Louisiana schools are being recognized for making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading and math for two or more years. Read More ...

"Louisiana’s educational reforms, from the accountability system put in place over the past 15 years to the transformation of New Orleans’ public schools after Hurricane Katrina, have greatly expanded options for many families and improved the academic performance of thousands of children. Rising standardized test scores reflect that progress, with the most dramatic gains in recent years coming among students in the New Orleans Recovery School District." Read More ...

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), through the Division of Nutrition Support, announced today that it is gearing up to administer two food service programs, the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Both programs provide healthy meals to children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  Read More ...

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.  Read More ...

Today started off with a big surprise for one middle school principal in St. Bernard Parish. N.P. Trist Middle School Principal Denise Pritchard had planned an assembly of the entire school to welcome Acting State Superintendent of Education Ollie Tyler and Dr. Gary Stark, Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, who was visiting the school on behalf of the Milken Family Foundation. But the program quickly turned into an unexpected celebration for her when Tyler announced that Principal Pritchard was being honored with the prestigious 2011 Milken Educator Award and a $25,000 cash prize.  Read More ...