NOLA Public School Progress

Sure there is a long way to go before the New Orleans public schools get to where they need and want to be in terms of seeing to it that students get the best education possible. But since Hurricane Katrina hit NOLA in 2005 many public and RSD (Recovery School District - another type of public school system) have made great strides.

Don't let the pundits, naysayers, or advocates of private and
charter schools tell you any different. Schools Count Corp has served many public schools and we have seen first hand the strides made by these schools over the past four years.

Though I prefer to look at schools in many other ways than test scores, about the only way that too many people assess the quality of a school, in today's age, is to look at test scores. Be that as it may, lets take a close look at how the public and RSD schools we delivered to this past August performed on the Louisiana state test called LEAP.

We delivered supplies to 23 public and RSD schools this past August. Of those 23 schools, 14 have had there doors open to students for at least the past two years. Since the schools have tested for two consecutive years there is an opportunity to examine the LEAP scores. The other 9 schools have not been in operation for two years so there is no current LEAP score basis to determine a change in student results.

Here's what we know about the 14 schools with regard to LEAP scores. ALL 14 showed an improvement in student test scores from one year to the next. Also, the average percent of growth, of the combined 14 schools, was 51.6%. Quite remarkable!!

I wanted to point out this growth for a number of reasons. First, these schools, contrary to what some people say, are helping students. Second, these schools have made positive changes to the education they provide to students since the hurricane. Third, non-public schools aren't the only ones getting the 'job done.' Finally, relative to Schools Count Corp., we can take some satisfaction knowing that the resources we have provided to NOLA schools has gone to good use.

With your continued support we can see to it that students are well served and that they will continue to make progress in terms of receiving the best possible education! It is obvious that what everyone associated with Schools Count Corp has done has made a difference.


Many thanks,
Dick Flesher