Research on Reforms Gets it Wrong - Again
June 1, 2010
A recent article from Research on Reforms begins with a flawed premise and then barrels along to reach conclusions that are not remotely based on facts readily available on the Department of Education’s website.
The article asserts that the number of RSD 10th graders who took the Graduate Exit Exam in 2010 should have been nearly three times greater than the number of OPSB 10th graders who tested this year. The simplistic rationale is that in 2005 (before the devastation and mass student displacement caused by Hurricane Katrina) the schools that would later be transferred to the RSD had three times the number of 10th grade test-takers as the schools that would remain with OPSB.
This statement ignores many post-Katrina realities, not the least of which is the fact that the RSD did not inherit the pre-Katrina enrollment of these schools, as thousands of students and families who were displaced have yet to return. Nevertheless, as families return, the RSD has and will continue providing high quality educational options.
Today, New Orleans has 36,000 K-12th graders instead of the 65,000 pre- Katrina. Moreover, OPSB disproportionately serves high school students. OPSB enrolls 46% of the high school students in the city; the RSD has 54%. On the other hand, the RSD has over 80% of the K-8th graders in the city.
The OPSB operates fewer, but (for the most part) larger high schools with populations that have remained relatively stable in the years since they reopened after the storm.
In contrast, the RSD’s high schools are a mix of mostly smaller comprehensive high schools (including schools that are being restructured or phased out) and new charter high schools that have launched with smaller populations and continue to grow. Among larger pre-Katrina high schools transferred to the RSD, Kennedy remains closed and Lawless has been torn down. Both sites are landbanked under the School Facilities Master Plan that was approved by the OPSB and BESE. Abramson has been torn down and its campus is being used to for several modular school campuses. The Fortier building is being used to house an OPSB charter high and the old L.B. Landry has given rise to a new building and program launching this fall.
Few things are like they were pre-Katrina, yet the article relies on its premise about pre-Katrina test numbers to reach the conclusion that large numbers RSD students do not make it to 10th grade. The corresponding post-storm numbers do not support this assumption. These facts are readily available to the public on the Department of Education’s website. It is ridiculous that Research on Reforms continues to purposefully make unfounded and factually incorrect allegations about the RSD.
This spring, 1,230 RSD 10th grade students in New Orleans took the ELA and math portions of the Graduate Exit Exam. In 2009, the number of RSD-New Orleans 9th graders who took the iLEAP was 1,285. In the previous year, the RSD administered the LEAP to about 1,500 initial 8th grade testers. In 2007, the RSD administered the iLEAP to about 1,200 students in 7th grade.
However, drawing any conclusions about student enrollment in post-Katrina New Orleans is difficult because of high student mobility and the fact that New Orleans has unprecedented school choice. Parents have more than 20 high schools to pick from, including open-admissions RSD direct-run and charter high schools and OPSB direct-run and chartered high schools (albeit most with admissions criteria).
We will continue to improve our high schools and offer all high quality school options. Our direct-run high schools are improving – although they still face many challenges – and charter high schools such as Sci Academy are soaring. We see great promise in the new Greater Gentilly High School, in the new state-of-the-art Lake Area building, and we have high hopes for both the new KIPP Renaissance High School, launching this fall in the Frederick A. Douglass building, and for the new L.B. Landry High School this fall in its brand new building.
The RSD was created to take failing schools and fix them. We will continue to close underperforming schools, restructure our remaining comprehensive high schools and nurture new charter and direct run schools that can provide our students with opportunities to excel.
March 8, 2010
I’ve have just about had it with recent attempts to rewrite history by individuals with short-term memories and a disregard for the facts when commenting on the performance of the Recovery School District.
The RSD was created to take on the worst performing schools in the state, schools that had been failing for years. In fact, each of the schools outside New Orleans that recently entered the RSD had an SPS below 60 since 1999. In New Orleans, the RSD took over the local district’s schools after years of academic failure and mismanagement under the Orleans Parish School Board. A culture of corruption had long permeated the district, leading to lengthy federal and state investigations and more than two dozen indictments on charges such as theft, fraud and kickbacks. School buildings were in terrible disrepair (we’ve documented in excess of a $1 billion in non-hurricane-related deferred maintenance), and many schools lacked the most basic of amenities, such as blackboards, bathroom stall doors and kitchens that could pass a safety inspection. It was a district in which the overwhelming majority of students who couldn’t get into magnet schools were left with failing neighborhood schools.
Hurricane Katrina devastated the public schools of New Orleans, and it was left to the RSD to pick up the pieces. What have been the results? After a rough first year, the RSD in the last three years has created a district of best-practice schools where parents have the choice to select among two dozen high schools and 50 elementary schools, where schools can recruit, retain and promote teachers and staff based on qualifications and performance rather and seniority. We’ve created a district where the school day and year is based on the needs of the students and not the convenience of the adults. RSD direct-run schools provide 34 percent more instructional time on task than is required by the state, and most RSD charter schools have longer school days. We are createing a district where schools have local autonomy and control as well as a local representation in governance.
Working closely with FEMA, we have secured $700 million to date to rebuild our schools, with a prospect for a much larger final settlement that will fund the $1.8 billion school construction plan. Four schools have been completed since August, one is nearing completion and 10 more will go under construction in the next six months. Our new buildings are the first new public buildings built in New Orleans post-Katrina, and they have been built at market rates with no cost overruns. They are also environmentally superior buildings (built to LEED Silver standards), built to survive serious storms.
We have also helped put Louisiana in a position to be a major recipient of new federal dollars through Race to the Top and other programs like the Teacher Incentive Fund and early learning initiatives, critically important during a time of state budget cuts.
We have accomplished all this despite a constant onslaught from those who are threatened by accountability outside New Orleans, or who long for a return to the bad old days within New Orleans.
As far as overall academic performance, the children in Orleans Parish have shown significant improvement since Katrina, fueled largely by the progress made by RSD charter and direct-run schools. As Leslie Jacobs notes in an analysis of New Orleans school performance, only 37% of Orleans Parish schools had one one star or higher pre-Katrina. Today, that number is 58% – an increase of 21 percentage points. She also notes that while there are still schools in New Orleans with a School Performance Score below 40, the number of lowest performing schools has decreased significantly. Before Katrina, 26 of 117 schools in Orleans Parish (22%) had an SPS of 40 or lower. Today, 9 of 73 schools (12%) have an SPS below 40 – and five of these schools are phasing out.
Our critics are comparing apples to oranges in looking at schools in New Orleans pre-and post-Katrina, a comparison that is faulty for the simple fact that these schools are not the same. They have different students, different teachers, administrators and support staff. In many cases, these schools have different operators as well.
It has been noted that the most accurate way to look at school performance is the District Performance Score (DPS), which includes all students, tests and performance level’s. The DPS for Orleans Parish was 56.9 in 2005. In 2009 the combined score of OPSB and RSD is 70.9, a 13.7 point gain since Katrina. Seventy percent of the students in Orleans Parish attend RSD schools, so these gains are driven by the RSD’s progress.
It is important to note the challenges we’ve faced and continue to face as a result of the upheaval of Katrina. In New Orleans, many of the children returning to school after Katrina and enrolling in RSD schools were academically behind, some having missed weeks or months of school. In fact, about 85% of students in the district’s direct-run schools were at least 1.5 years or more below grade level. Half of those students were actually three years or more below grade level. Making up two, three or four years doesn’t happen overnight.
The RSD’s efforts in New Orleans are further complicated by the fact that we are constantly enrolling students throughout the school year and we deal with tremendous mobility issues. For example, in the last school year, more 1,500 students enrolled in RSD direct-run schools after February 1. We estimate that more than 40 percent of RSD students changed addresses that same year.
Despite these challenges, our children continue to improve. I was brought in to help in 2007 by State Superintendent of Schools Paul Pastorek. Under our watch, RSD test scores have increased in every grade and every subject in the two years in which test scores are available. We’ve seen double-digit gains in half the grades and subjects and growth that outpaced state growth in 25 of 30 categories in LEAP, iLEAP and the Graduate Exit Exam (GEE). In the past two years, we’ve seen double digit jumps in half the grades and subjects and growth rates that far exceeded the state’s impressive growth.
The RSD has done an outstanding job taking the worst performing schools in the state, assuming responsibility for the most challenged children, and making things better. In New Orleans, the RSD is creating a school district that offers real, quality educational choice for all children, regardless of income levels. We’re also creating a school district that will become an instrument of the city’s economic revival and growth, and not an impediment to it.
Rejoice in the reality that this intervention initiative conceived by the state legislature and supported by reform-minded community members and leaders is working. It is not only working, it is working exceedingly well.
RSD 2007-2009 Assessment Index Scores with Growth
January 19, 2010
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It is with great pleasure that we announce the start of the Common Application process for the 2010-2011 school year. This process provides a simple form that families can use to apply to more than 70 public schools in New Orleans, and a common timeline in which schools accept applications, notify families and register students for the upcoming school year. It is designed to make it easier for families to exercise choice in applying to the many public schools now available in the city.
The one-page application form isnow available at RSD direct-run and RSD charter schools or online at www.rsdla.net or www.nolaparentsguide.org
Remember, you can use the same form to apply to any RSD direct-run or RSD charter school. You can apply to as many schools as you like, but you must complete a form for each school to which you want to apply. There’s no need to complete an application if you want your child to remain at his or her current school. You should, however, complete that school’s Intent to Return form.
Also please note that this is an application form and not a registration form. Once the application period ends,schools will process their applications. Schools that have more applications than available seats will hold lotteries in order to randomly determine which students will be offered space in the schools.
If you are the parent of a student with special needs, it is important to know that your child cannot be denied enrollment because of his or her disability. You should not be required to provide any information about your child’s disability during the application process. If you have any questions or concerns related to students with special needs, contact the Recovery School District’s Intervention Services departmentat (504) 373-6200 ext. 20003 or (877) 343-4773.
| KEY DATES |
| Applications Due | April 9, 2010 |
| Lottery complete | April 30, 2010 |
| Acceptance notifications complete | May 7, 2010 |
| Common Application enrollment ends | May 21, 2010 |
We hope that you will take advantage of the Common Application process to find the school that provides the best environment for your child. We also encourage you to use this time to learn more about your school options. Information is available on www.nolaparentsguide.org and www.rsdla.net or by calling (877) 343-4773.
August 3, 2009
Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year!
We hope that you’ve had a great summer and we look forward to seeing your children on August 6, the first day of school for students in grades 1-12. The first day of school for our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students is August 17.
In addition to the earlier start, there are a few changes this year that I wanted to share with you. Once again, we will have a longer school day to give our children more classroom time, and we will have four additional weeks of instruction at the end of the year for students who need additional help. Our new bell times for elementary schools are 8 a.m. to 4:15 on Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. The high school day will be 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 on Friday.
School administrators and teachers have been working hard to prepare for the upcoming school year. We have great hopes that we will same improvements in test scores that we’ve seen over the past two years, with test scores improving in practically every grade and every subject. The credit for this goes not only to our outstanding teachers and principals, but to parents who have worked so hard to help their children succeed. We hope that you will continue to provide your support and encouragement to your children and help prepare them for a successful start.
There is nothing more important than making sure that your children are ready for school on the first day and prepared, alert and attentive every day. It starts from day one, so I want to stress to you that children should attend on the first day of school. Do not worry if you haven’t purchased his or her uniform yet. If you need additional time to purchase uniforms or need assistance, please speak to your principal or school social worker. Please help your child have a successful year by making your home environment an extension of the classroom. When it is time to do homework or school projects, the television needs to be set aside so that your children can concentrate. We also want you to talk to your children about the importance of good attendance throughout the year. Make sure children are eating well and getting plenty of rest, especially on school nights. This year, we will be introducing incentives such as iPOD music players for students who have great attendance, make good grades and do good deeds.
We work hard to make sure our schools are safe and secure. As parents, you have an important role as well. The most important thing you can do is make sure you know what your child is taking to school in their backpacks and pockets. This will help to make sure that they are safe and that their classmates and school staff are safe. We need parents to be vigilant by checking to make sure students are bringing only what is necessary to school. The biggest challenge we face is what happens to children out of school and on the weekends. Parents must communicate with us when they are facing concerns about their child’s well-being and academic issues. Parents are part of the educational process and, as we all know, parents are the children’s first teacher.
There is not a safer, more secure enriching place to be in than school. Longer school days and a longer school year will help keep them safe and help working parents who have similar schedules on their jobs.
On a final note, there are no more important contributions that we can make to our children than to tell them at an early age that they can attend college regardless of income level. The state has a program, called TOPS, which will pay college costs for any high school graduate in the state who has worked hard during high school. This makes it possible for all children to look forward to college. In addition, our district is moving towards universal work study, which will allow children who are juniors and seniors can take work study electives, which is a part-time job while they are going to school.
We hope that as caregivers, you will talk to even your youngest children and let them know that through education, they can be whatever they wish to be. College, in many cases, is the key to a successful future, and college is a possibility for EVERY child. During the year, we will be providing you with more information about our work study program and the TOPS program.
Again, please make every effort to have your child at school on the first day. We look forward to a great year and the opportunity to meeting some of you as I make my regular visits around the communities.
If you have any concerns or questions, do not hesitate to call your school or our toll-free help line at 1-877-343-4773.
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On Sunday, June 27, The Times-Picayune of New Orleans published a front page article that included numerous allegations about Schwarz Academy, the district’s alternative school. RSD Superintendent Paul Vallas’ full response to the article follows:
Sunday’s front page article, “Is Schwarz a Safe Alternative?” failed to accurately portray Schwarz Academy, in particular, and the Recovery School District’s (RSD) alternative programs in general.
The article was unbalanced, and ignored our real challenges, our many successes, the scope of services currently offered by the RSD and our plans to expand our alternative services to better meet the needs of this challenging population of students. Not only did the article misrepresent Schwarz, it failed to recognize other programs that the RSD has put in place to support this population of students, including our transitional program for over-aged students, our GED program for dropouts and other support programs that we have implemented through community partnerships. This information was provided to The Times-Picayune, but was not reflected in the article.
Here are the facts:
· The RSD provides the ONLY alternative schools for Orleans Parish. The District not only serves the children who have been expelled from our direct-run schools, but also those expelled from Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) schools and charter schools.
· Schwarz serves the most troubled students in our community; most have arrest records, and all were found guilty of committing serious or violent offenses in their previous school, such as possession of weapons on campus or assault and battery.
· Our aim at Schwartz and our other alternative programs is to offer these students an environment that is safe and appropriate given their history. But more importantly, from our perspective, we intend to provide them with an educational experience that focuses on their future potential and assists them in transforming their lives. At Schwartz, we put in place a system to give these students unprecedented academic and social supports, and put many students on a better path. Indeed, over the course of the year, 75 Schwarz students were transitioned out of the alternative school because they met strict criteria: 80 percent attendance, a GPA of 2.5 and no behavior infractions.
· And despite the fact that 92% of the students enrolled in Schwartz had been retained at least twice during their academic career and 87% of students were performing at least two grade levels below their placement, the students showed marked gains in their academic achievement during the 2008-2009 school year.
· Overall, students at Schwarz showed significant growth in all areas and on all parts of the state’s LEAP, iLEAP and GEE tests.
· RSD’s assessments tracking individual student progress in reading and math showed that in the 16 assessments that were administered to 6th-11th grade students, students showed an average grade level gain of at least one year in 11 of the assessments, and in five of those cases their academic gains were nearly at or above two years.
Of further note, this year the Louisiana Department of Education, Division of Dropout Prevention, Adult and Family Services visited our district and audited Schwarz. In LDOE’s written appraisal of Schwarz, the agency included the following comments:
· The administrator is knowledgeable and takes a hands-on approach.
· Instruction is student-centered and takes into account the needs of individuals.
· The environment is conducive to learning.
· Teachers are actively engaged in lessons.
· There is an alternative plan developed for individualized instruction.
· The Camelot model was innovative, and students seem to strive to achieve goals set forth within the model.
· Students take pride in their school.
· The environment is safe and secure.
· Faculty, staff and administration take an active role in all components of the students’ lives (i.e. academically, socially and emotionally).
No compliance issues were noted in LDOE’s report. The auditors made note of the computers, materials and textbooks that were in place and being utilized, commented that all requirements of the state grant were being met and recommended an increase in grant funding for the 2009-2010 school year. The monitors did, however, note that space was a major issue facing the program. Next year, the RSD will address this concern with a second alternative high school and a new alternative elementary school.
Although we acknowledge that Schwartz is an old building (built in 1925), we disagree with the assertion that the building is “crumbling.” Multiple photographs published from The Times Picayune photographer’s half-day visit to the school showed conditions that are typical of the school buildings the RSD inherited. Our district made repairs in 2007 and in the summer of 2008 to improve conditions in the school, including work on the school’s roof, air conditioning and woodwork damaged by termites. Termites and other facility challenges at Schwarz and many other school buildings throughout Orleans Parish are the result of decades of neglect, and this school is a prime example of why the RSD and OPSB collaborated to develop a Master Plan to renovate and rebuild dozens of schools throughout our community.
Also, the article implies that young teachers were a problem at Schwarz. Nothing could be further from the truth. These were teachers who wanted this challenge and were dedicated to educating students. The percentage of certified teachers at Schwarz last year was 92 percent. Overall, staff attendance was 95 percent and the retention rate over the course of the year was 98 percent. We had far more veteran teachers in the first year of Schwarz, but many were unmotivated and their attendance was dismal.
Even though the reporter spent a day with the educational leader at Schwarz, she asked few questions about educational strategies, classroom management or behavior plans at the school. The reporter sat in on classes where teachers were engaging in meaningful instruction, but those observations were not reported. Teachers at Schwarz spent countless hours after school planning and preparing activities to make sure students remained engaged. It took extraordinary effort on the part of teachers to motivate and build relationships with students before any learning could take place.
On the issue of police responses at Schwarz, students and parents knew that if serious fights occurred or if drugs or weapons were brought into the school, police would be called. Often, grievances that begin in our neighborhoods spill over to our schools. Schwarz implemented mediated sessions with parents and students and a behavior plan that is designed to help reduce negative behavior and help students gain self esteem and self-respect.
When we take our alternative services to a new level next year with an additional alternative high school and a new alternative elementary school, we will be better able to separate students involved in altercations. And we will be able to get the most disruptive students out of our traditional schools and into more appropriate programs. We already saw improvement this year with a decrease in serious incidents among our general school population. Overall, in all of our schools, serious incidents were down by 28 percent in 2009, compared to 2008.
Behavior interventionists employed by Camelot were trained to intervene in cases where students posed an imminent threat to themselves and others. During orientation, all parents of Schwarz students were notified of the contractor’s “Handle with Care,” procedures during orientation and the school maintained an open-door policy for parents and community members. Daily visitors included parents, probation officers, youth advocates, and representatives from Families in Need of Services (FINS), Boys Town and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). An open house for parents drew a standing-room-only crowd.
In addition to academic supports, social supports at Schwarz last school year greatly exceeded those in our comprehensive high schools; Schwarz had a social worker, counselor, director of student support services, a transitional counselor and a director of special education, among others.
The student cited in the article “who spent much of her time in the front office assisting the secretary,” was an intern, a senior who took only three classes and worked in the office for the remainder of the day. She and many of our other students participated in student government, and became positive leaders in the school. We introduced the reporter to Schwarz student government leaders, who had acknowledged the poor choices they’d made, but who had also decided to change their lives. These students tell the real story of Schwarz, but their comments were not included.
Finally, we would have liked to have seen more in the article about our plans to improve alternative services next year. Our staffing model will enable us to provide additional wrap-around services for the students at two high schools, a middle school and an elementary school. We will continue the partnerships we established this year (but not mentioned in the article) with social service agencies and the courts.
The RSD acknowledges that improvements need to be made at Schwartz, and the standards we have set for this school and these students are high. It takes time to build a culture of high expectations among young people who have experienced failure -- but that won’t make us any less determined to do so.
Our challenge, and it is a tall order, is to change the attitudes of these young people and to give them new and better options for their lives. When we achieve that, we will have succeeded at transforming the school culture and creating the kind of environment we aspire to. But even more important, we will have succeeded at transforming the lives of children who are looking to us, this community, for a better way and a brighter future.
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What a week. Not only did we see big gains in our test scores, we submitted a balanced budget to BESE and had six high school graduations.
I want to begin by saying congratulations to everyone and thanking you for your tremendous work this year. Your efforts were reflected in our substantial test score gains for the second straight year, with dramatic improvement in several areas. We saw growth in every grade and every subject and we outpaced the state in 25 of 30 categories.
Based on the preliminary results, we’re projecting that at least nine of our direct-run schools and more than 20 of our charter schools could top 60 when the School Performance Scores come out. We’re also predicting that two of our direct-run elementary schools, A.P. Tureaud and H.C. Schaumburg, will be over 70. This is truly remarkable given the fact that none of our direct-run schools were even close to 60 just two years ago.
I was especially proud of the gains we saw in our middle and high schools, including double-digit jumps in many grades and subjects. When you get double-digit growth in half your categories you are seeing real growth, the type of growth that will quickly close the achievement gap.
Undoubtedly, much of our improvement can be attributed to our longer school day and curriculum and instructional reforms, but the fact remains that quality teaching and school leadership made this growth possible.
While we still have a long way to go, we should be proud of our gains. I want to congratulate our principals, assistant principals, instructional leaders, teachers and support staff, and thank you all for being patient as we institutionalized our reforms. Many of you have gone the extra mile by working long days and weekends, and I greatly appreciate your service and dedication to our children.
As you know, we submitted a budget to BESE that is balanced and greatly limits our reliance on one-time revenue like Restart. We had to balance our budget this year and we worked to do so without sacrificing our core reforms. While we did have to make some difficult adjustments, we’re confident that we can secure additional federal money, such as money to compensate for the Title 1 stimulus dollars we should have gotten, Medicaid reimbursements, TAP money and Race to the Top grants that will allow us to provide our schools with some additional resources.
The stimulus money would let us put additional para-professionals, teacher aids or specific teaching personnel like reading interventionists in our classrooms. We would use the Medicaid money to pay for non-academic support services for our schools. We are applying for money through the federal Teacher Incentive Fund to support our Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), which would provide teachers with performance-based compensation. We are confident we’ll secure money through the Race to the Top grant fund, which was set up to reward districts that are innovative – something we definitely are in the RSD.
Congratulations to the faculty, staff and graduating seniors at George Washington Carver, Joseph S. Clark, Walter L. Cohen, Frederick Douglass, L.E. Rabouin and Sarah T. Reed high schools on their commencement ceremonies last week. This Tuesday, John McDonogh High School will hold its commencement. We are still getting final numbers in from the schools, but it looks like we’ll have another sharp increase in our graduation rate. That’s one more reason to be proud of what has been accomplished this year.
As you know, schools and our administrative offices will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. The last day of our regular school year is May 28, but the work will resume for many on June 1, the first day of our Extended Year program.
I hope you have a restful holiday weekend. Thank you again for all that you do.
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By now, you have seen media coverage or heard of the spread of swine flu in the United States and several other countries. Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. It occasionally spreads to humans, although human to human transmission has been rare until now. The New Orleans Health Department and the Department of Health and Hospitals are working diligently to keep the public informed. They also are working to make sure that if a local outbreak occurs, it is contained. Every step is being taken at the national level to prevent any catastrophic event.
There are everyday actions that you can take to protect yourselves and your families, while at the same time helping to prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.
1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
3. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick, stay home. Limit contact with others.
4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth because germs can spread that way. Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
5. If you or anyone in your family feels sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home and away from other people. Do not send your children to school if they display flu-like symptoms. Symptoms may include: high fever, body aches, headaches, coughing, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue and chills.
Prevention is the key to controlling a possible outbreak. If you or your child becomes ill with flu-like symptoms, you should contact your physician immediately. Your doctor will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. Notify your school IMMEDIATELY if you are diagnosed with swine flu.
The RSD is working to make sure our facilities, cleanup and transportation teams take extra steps to safeguard areas and protect our staff and students. We are constantly receiving information on the spread of the virus and will keep you informed of any changes or new information.
Thanks and stay well.
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Next week students will begin taking the Louisiana Education Assessment Program (LEAP) and the Graduate Exit Exam (GEE), tests given throughout the state to measure student learning. As you know, these are very important tests. Students in the grades 4 and 8 must do well on the LEAP to advance to the next grade, and high school students must pass the GEE to graduate. Students in grades 3, 5, 7 and 9 will take the iLEAP, which also measures student progress and will be considered as a factor in promotion to the next grade. In addition, seniors must take any portion of the GEE that is required for graduation that they have not previously passed.
I want to make sure you know that student attendance is mandatory on testing days, April 1-7, 2009. It is extremely important that you, as parents, make sure that students come to school on time prepared to do their best. You should also make sure that students get plenty of sleep each night and eat a healthy breakfast each morning. Because of testing, we will have 3 p.m. dismissal on Tuesday, March 31; Wednesday, April 1; Thursday, April 2; Friday, April 3; Monday, April 6; and Tuesday, April 7.
We will not have report card conferences on March 31. Schools will send you notice of when and where report cards will be distributed.
Teachers and administrators have been working very hard to prepare students academically and to motivate students to do their best during testing. Children also need to hear words of encouragement at home. Please take extra time to let your children know that you believe in them as we do.
State Testing Reminders:
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Mandatory attendance on testing days
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3 p.m. dismissal Tuesday, March 31; Wednesday, April 1; Thursday April 2; Friday, April 3; Monday, April 6; and Tuesday, April 7
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No report card conferences March 31; report cards distributed by schools
Thank you for allowing us to provide your children with the quality education they deserve.
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Welcome to the new Web site for the Louisiana Recovery School District. Our goal is to provide more information about our district and to put more resources at your fingertips. Here you can learn about the many initiatives we’ve implemented to improve student achievement, get timely news about the district, review the complete RSD Educator’s Handbook with our managed curriculum for every grade and subject, learn about our comprehensive high school redesign efforts, and keep up to date on our progress in rebuilding public school facilities in the city.
As with any Web site, ours is a work in progress. It will continue to grow and evolve in the coming weeks and months to keep parents, students, educators and member of the community engaged and informed.
Our goal is to bring a sense of high expectations for every student in the district. Please visit often to learn about the many good things happening in the Recovery School District. As Superintendent, it is my honor to be a part of the effort to create superior schools for the children we serve.
About Superintendent Vallas
Gallery
Contact Superintendent Vallas
PBS Newshour series
Superintendent Vallas surprises Glenda Poole of Craig Elementary with the news that she is the RSD elementary school Teacher of the Year.
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