To Public Schools New Orleans Parents Guide

2018 Annual Public Perceptions Poll 05/2018 Cowen Institute has released What Happens Next? Voters’ Perceptions of K-12 Education in New Orleans.

1. New Orleans Parents Guide To Public Schools

This is the Cowen Institute’s annual poll of voter perceptions of public education in the city. This year’s poll examines the upcoming unification of Recovery School District and Orleans Parish School Board schools and finds that support for charter schools remains high; 61% of respondents believe they have improved New Orleans’ education system and a plurality gave the public education a C grade. 55% of respondents continue to back the city’s open enrollment policy.

Overall, familiarity with the unification process has increased by nearly 10% since 2017, and there has been a slight increase in opinions about its success. State of Public Education in New Orleans 2018 (SPENO) 04/2018 This annual report, The State of Public Education in New Orleans, has been the Institute’s flagship publication, capturing as much information as possible about our schools in a single document. This year’s report will continue that tradition, but with more of an eye towards the future and what comes next for our schools. The unification of schools is at a significant inflection point for educators and families across New Orleans, and this report considers what must happen in the coming years to ensure continued progress.

Our goal with this report is to show what will change and remain the same once unification occurs, while also providing a deeper exploration of New Orleans’ public school system and the many players therein. We hope that the report serves as a valuable resource for all readers who are interested in learning more about the city’s evolving educational ecosystem.

Interactive Website: Measuring Opportunity in New Orleans 02/2018 The Cowen Institute at Tulane University has released, a guide and interactive website that is the fourth in the Institute’s series of data guides on opportunity youth, the term used to describe residents between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor working. Provides tools that the user can configure to gain insight not only into Orleans Parish but any parish in the Greater New Orleans area.

The website also includes policy recommendations for increasing New Orleans youth’s access to transit and job opportunities. FAFSA for Students with Non-Traditional Needs 11/2017 The Cowen Institute has a deep commitment to helping students in New Orleans access financial aid for college. Many students in the city have special circumstances that qualify them as non-traditional students for the purpose of the application. This report highlights some of those situations and provides practical information and resources to help these students maximize their access to federal student aid. It is an ideal resource for school counselors, teachers, practitioners, parents, family members, and students. Poll Quick Take (2017) 08/2017 In May 2017, the Cowen Institute released its annual report on local residents’ perceptions of public education in New Orleans.

Afterwards, we met with many stakeholders to discuss our findings, including OPSB members, educators, researchers, and teachers. During these discussions, stakeholders requested more detailed information on some of our questions, broken down by sub-categories. In response to those conversations, we are publishing this new report. This Cowen QuickTake offers a deeper assessment of those sections of our 2017 polling data, with a special focus on the differences between the views of public and private school parents. How Can We Measure School Performance? 04/2017 The Cowen Institute’s new report, How Can We Measure School Performance? Examines accountability systems for schools, comparing both national and international frameworks.

The publication of the report coincides with the efforts of the Louisiana Department of Education and Orleans Parish School Board to revise their accountability standards. By examining the ways in which other communities hold their schools accountable, the report offers ideas on innovative practices and measurement tools. The report shows that accountability is not a one-size-fits-all model and that there are many ways to approach this issue. It is intended to inform both education stakeholders and the public-at-large as they consider changes to the current accountability standards. Perceptions of Public Education in New Orleans 03/2017 The report finds that New Orleans parents and residents broadly support public education reforms in New Orleans with 63 percent saying charter schools have improved education in the city and 54 percent believing that the city’s open enrollment policy has had a positive impact on the quality of education. Additionally, respondents expressed strong support for accountability changes for public schools that place greater priority on student growth rather than absolute performance.

Eighty-four percent of respondents also stated that education should be a top priority for the city over the next decade. Download: https://tulane.box.com/s/beo0lr9qq7bkj0dbdts16yfj8spwkwhj.

The State of Public Education in New Orleans (2017) 02/2017 The report is the Institute’s annual analysis of the city’s unique and ever-evolving public education system. This year’s report finds that school performance scores continues to increase, while areas for improvement and progress remain. The report also assesses the impact that RSD- OPSB school unification will likely have on students and families. The State of Public Education in New Orleans includes comparisons of student performance in New Orleans to students nationwide, as well as discussion of how schools are financed. It also features an interview with Louisiana Department of Education Superintendent John White regarding school unification. The Cowen Institute would also like to thank Avie and Jill Glazer for their generous support of this report. No Longer Invisible: Opportunity Youth in New Orleans 10/2016 The Cowen Institute has released No Longer Invisible: Opportunity Youth in New Orleans.

This new report outlines the challenges facing 16-24 year olds in New Orleans who are disconnected from employment and education. These young people are often referred to as opportunity youth. The report found that there are 6,820 opportunity youth in New Orleans, which was 14 percent of all 16-24 year olds in the city. Those youth faced significant economic barriers: a third lived below the poverty line and these young people also received food stamps and were uninsured at high rates.

To address a challenge as complex as youth disconnection, the report recommends expanded efforts to leverage the educational experiences of the city’s opportunity youth to link them to employment. The Cowen Institute supports numerous initiatives to reconnect opportunity youth, such as the EMPLOY Collaborative, the Earn and Learn apprenticeship program and New Orleans Opportunity Works. EMPLOY’s Youth Action Team, a committee of New Orleans young people, reviewed and advised on the report. The report was supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

The Year Ahead: New Orleans' Public Education Governance for 2016- The Cowen Institute released our annual chart on the governance structure of public schools in New Orleans. The chart offers a comprehensive overview of public education in the city for the 2016-17 school year. It outlines which schools are transitioning from the Recovery School District to the Orleans Parish School Board, as well as which schools are opening and adding grade levels. We also have copies of chart available as a poster. If you would like a copy of the governance chart poster, please contact Vincent Rossmeier, Policy Director at the Cowen Institute, at vrossmei@tulane.edu. LEA Status: Why It Matters for Schools Returning to the OPSB 06/2016 As schools begin to return to the OPSB, a crucial decision for school leaders and charter boards is whether each school retains its own status as a Local Education Agency ( LEA), or instead join the LEA of OPSB. Our new brief discusses why this decision is so important, and what financial and operational implications ought to be considered.

New Orleans Parents Guide To Public Schools

The brief is targeted at charter school board members and outlines how schools face a decision of whether to maintain their own LEA status or join the OPSB’s, as well as the implications of that choice. 2016 Annual Public Perception Poll 04/2016 The Cowen Institute has released What Happens Next? Voters’ Perceptions of K-12 Education in New Orleans. This is the Cowen Institute’s annual poll of voter perceptions of public education in the city. The poll found voters continue to support public education reforms in New Orleans with 63 percent saying charter schools have improved education in the city and 62 percent affirming that the city’s open enrollment policy has had a positive impact. However, public opinion is divided on when, and how, all charter schools should return to local control under the Orleans Parish School Board ( OPSB).

You can read the full report. A Primer on Differentiated Funding 03/2016 Educating students is not a one-size fits all endeavor. Different students have different needs and because of those needs, some students cost more to educate than others. Differentiated funding is a way to fund education in which schools receive per student funding proportionate to the time, resources, and type of instruction required to educate the student.

It is a best practice policy used by districts nationwide. Schools generally receive more for students with special needs or for whom English is not their first language. This differs from non-differentiated approaches wherein schools receive a set amount of funds from their district or the state for every student enrolled.

In Louisiana, most funding for schools is provided through the Minimum Foundation Program ( MFP). This is a formula adopted by state policymakers to allocate funding equitably across all schools and districts. Apprenticeships: No.5 in New Orleans & Louisiana 09/2015 People learn by doing.

This is the idea at the heart of apprenticeship, where lessons in the classroom are reinforced by on-the-job training, resulting in education that transcends the textbook and extends to physical and even cultural learning. Students get paid, and employers get custom-trained talent. And apprenticeship is more than an elegant idea; it is proven in places like Germany, which enjoys one of the highest youth employment rates in the industrialized world.

For Louisiana, the opportunity of apprenticeship is particularly exciting: we are in the midst of an industrial boom that is going to produce tens of thousands of well-paying jobs, and if we connect our young people to them, we are both going to fuel the economy, and build the middle class. The following brief lays out the case for expanding apprenticeships in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana, which will benefit both our citizens and our employers, and show the nation a model for workforce training and community wealth creation. Common Core in New Orleans & Louisiana 09/2015 Common Core in New Orleans & Louisiana Common Core is at the forefront of contemporary education discussions in the United States.

In the coming years, its adoption and implementation will be critical in defining what and how American students learn. The Common Core State Standards ( CCSS) raise K-12 academic benchmarks, thereby requiring schools and districts to adopt new curricula and state officials to seek new student assessments. While Louisiana originally adopted Common Core, its future in the state is in question. This brief clarifies what Common Core is, presents what it will mean for states, and discusses what its future looks like in Louisiana.

K-12 Public Education through the Public's Eye: Parents' and Adults' Perception of Public Education in New Orleans 05/2015 Since 2009, the Cowen Institute has conducted an annual poll to assess local public perception of the public education system in New Orleans. We have done so out of the belief that understanding how the public at-large, and parents in particular, view these changes is a crucial part of evaluating the effect these changes have had on parents, students, and the community as a whole. These perceptions will likely help shape how public education will continue to evolve in New Orleans.

Issue Briefs: Investing in Opportunity 05/2015 The Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act ( WIOA), a new federal law that will provide more funding for job training and adult education could greatly benefit opportunity youth locally, according to a brief released today by the Cowen Institute in partnership with Baptist Community Ministries and the New Orleans Business Alliance. Opportunity Youth are young adults aged 16-24 who are neither in school nor working. This brief provides background on the law, highlights why it is important, explains how it is implemented, and investigates its effectiveness. Cowen Institute Issue Briefs: Charter Management Organizations in New Orleans 04/2015 This brief examines charter management organizations ( CMOs) in New Orleans.

It analyzes their growth over time, why changes have occurred, and how CMOs impact the city’s education landscape. The brief found that since the 2006-2007 school year, the number of students attending schools within CMOs and the total number of CMOs have both increased significantly, which has had a significant impact on school governance and school boards. NOLA by the Numbers: School Performance Scores, 20 This explains the 2013-14 SPS calculation, as well as changes in the grading scale associated with the transition to Common Core and higher standards. Unique contributions of the report include an analysis of New Orleans school performance over time relative to state performance, analyses of the components of elementary, middle school and high school performance scores including the types of diplomas with which students graduate, and OneApp geographic zones with average weighted SPS. NOLA by the Numbers: LEAP and iLEAP Test Results, 20 Each year, public school students in Louisiana participate in standardized testing. Students in 4th and 8th grade complete the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program ( LEAP), while students in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 participate in the “integrated” LEAP, or iLEAP. The assessments are intended to measure if a student has gained the necessary knowledge and skills in the subject for a students’ grade level.

The assessments are used in school and district accountability and are administered in four subjects: English Language Arts ( ELA), Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Major K-12 Education Bills and Resolutions of the 2012 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature 12/2013 This spreadsheet reports on the 2013 education, student, and school-related bills considered in the Louisiana Legislature regular session. Each bill’s number, date filed, author, status, and summary are provided. Bills are organized into the following categories: charter schools and choice, early childhood education, educator protections, rights, and Benefits, funding, and other.

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The 2013 State of Public Education in New Orleans Report 07/2013 The 2012-13 school year marks the seventh full school year since the dramatic transformation of the public school system following Hurricane Katrina. While policies and structures continue to evolve, the overarching reform mechanisms of school autonomy, parental choice, and accountability delineate the unique public education model in New Orleans. This report provides information about the current school system and its successes and challenges based on available quantitative data, media coverage, and conversations with school and district leaders.

2013 New Orleans Public Education Facilities Update 06/2013 In 2005, 80 percent of New Orleans was flooded and most of the school buildings damaged or destroyed. This report accounts the progress in re-building, renovating, and refurbishing public school facilities in the city, updating costs, budgets, and anticipated funding for the remainder of the work in the School Facilities Master Plan ( SFMP). The purpose of the report to give the community a current look at the accomplishments and challenges in this colossal and crucial public works project. NOLA by the Numbers: School Enrollment and Demographics from October 20 Each school year, the Louisiana Department of Education conducts two student enrollment counts on October 1st and February 1st that also document the race, gender, grade level, and free or reduced lunch eligibility status of students in grades pre-K to 12. The public school enrollment counts are used to determine how schools and districts receive funding from the state. Spotlight on Choice: Parent Opinions on School Selection in New Orleans 01/2013 In a series of focus groups on schools choice, the Cowen Institute collected feedback on the school selection process from over 80 families in New Orleans. This report evaluates the effectiveness of school choice as a successful reform strategy.

Due to limited seats at high quality schools and a complicated application process, the findings indicate that school choice is currently inadequate in providing all families with access to the best schools. NOLA by the Numbers: School Performance Scores, 20 Of the 67 New Orleans schools with both 2011 and 2012 scores, 49 schools made progress and 46 (nearly 70 percent) were designated top gains schools, meaning they met their state-determined growth target for 2012. By comparison, 35 percent of schools across the state were top gains schools. Both the OPSB and the RSD-NO made significant gains in their school performance scores from 2011 to 2012, though changes in the calculations, particularly at the high school level, make it difficult to interpret the overall trends. The 2012 State of Public Education in New Orleans Report 07/2012 In many ways, the 2011-12 school year was the beginning of a new era in New Orleans’ public education. The year was marked by momentous changes in leadership and strategy at both the state and local levels.

This report provides information about the current school systems based on available quantitative data, newspaper stories and interviews, and a comprehensive survey of New Orleans public school parents. This report also offers a number of successes as well as key challenges in public education in New Orleans. Private Schools and Choice: The Student Scholarships for Education Excellence Pilot Program in Orleans Parish 04/2012 Since 2008, a publicly-funded private school voucher pilot program in New Orleans has provided nearly 2,000 students from low and moderate income families a scholarship to attend a private or parochial school. This research brief, part of our ongoing Spotlight on Choice project, provides an overview of the New Orleans voucher pilot program and its impact on academic achievement and access to quality schools for all children. The 2012 State of Public Education in Louisiana Report: Performance 03/2012 This section of the 2012 State of Public Education in Louisiana includes information on school performance scores ( SPS) and how Louisiana’s public education compares on a national standardized scale.

It also provides information on the achievement gap in state education and suggests a relationship between poverty and student achievement in Louisiana. Its last component reports on college and career readiness in Louisiana and compares it to a national scale. Transforming Public Education in New Orleans: The Recovery School District 12/2011 This report analyzes some of the issues and policies that have defined the RSD over the past eight years. It also examines the contextual conditions in which the community acts in order to engage, restructure, and ensure sustainability in public education. The report concludes by discussing the continuing role of state intervention and highlighting the issues currently facing the RSD in New Orleans. Click here for the executive summary. Returning Schools to Local Control: The Recovery School District Return Policy and Its Implications 12/2011 In December 2011, individual public schools in New Orleans had the choice of staying within the jurisdiction of the state-run Recovery School District ( RSD) or returning to the jurisdiction of the local Orleans Parish School Board ( OPSB).

It is necessary to have a full understanding of the BESE return policy, the RSD and OPSB processes, and their implications in order to understand the impact of these schools’ decisions. This report analyzes key issues that impact schools, the RSD, the OPSB, and the community, and provides recommendations for how the policy and its implementation can be improved. Case Studies of Choice and Open Enrollment in Four Cities 11/2011 In the past, school districts in Cambridge, San Diego, and New York City have instituted district-wide open enrollment systems, mandatory and/or voluntary, for elementary and/or high school grades, similar to New Orleans. This research briefing, part of our Spotlight on Choice project, presents four case studies presents four case studies New Orleans, Cambridge, San Diego, and New York City that review the open enrollment policies and systems examining how the systems operate and the impact they have on students and families. San Diego School Choice and Enrollment Case Study 11/2011 The San Diego Unified School District ( SDUSD) offers a voluntary choice program. Students in this district are still assigned neighborhood schools, but they may apply to alternative schools outside of their residence zones through the open enrollment program.

SDUSD developed this school choice program in compliance with a state education legislation that was introduced in 1993 legislation that intended give low-achieving and low-income students the opportunity to attend schools outside of their residence zones. New Orleans School Choice and Enrollment Case Study 11/2011 New Orleans’ policy of open enrollment for public schools became a necessity as flooding damaged residential areas and displaced families from access to schools all over the city. The system of citywide open enrollment continues today for students of Orleans Parish. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of open enrollment depends on a decentralized system featuring a multi-district governance model, where no single entity is responsible for managing the enrollment process, assigning students to schools, managing lotteries and waitlists, or providing information to parents.

NOLA by the Numbers: School Performance Scores, 20 The 2011 School Performance Scores revealed that public schools in New Orleans have continued their post-Katrina trajectory, improving steadily each year. On average, schools in New Orleans grew 7.7 points, or 9.7 percent, from 2010 to 2011, more than three times the state average of 2.2 points or 2.4 percent. Additionally, this year marks the first time the state has issued letter grades instead of performance labels as it has done in the past. Twenty-eight percent of public schools in New Orleans that received a 2011 School Performance Score received an F, while 24 percent received an A or B. NOLA by the Numbers: ACT Scores, Class of 20 The Louisiana Department of Education releases annually the average composite, English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning American College Test ( ACT) scores at both the district and school levels. The ACT, which students generally take in the 11th or 12th grade, is intended to measure students’ general educational development and their capability to complete college-level work. College entrance exams such as the ACT are required for admissions to most two- and four-year colleges and universities in the state.

Scores range from 1-36. The 2011 average ACT composite score for all public school students in New Orleans was 18.0, an increase of 0.5 points from 2010. A Look at School-By-School Finances in New Orleans, 2009-2010: An Addendum to the March 2011 State of Public Education in New Orleans School Finances Report 09/2011 This report provides an overview of charter school revenues in New Orleans and analyzes how those revenues were allocated and spent in the 2009-2010 school year. Based on the New Orleans financial data released in May 2011 by the Louisiana Department of Education, this report examines school-level expenditures for all schools and school types, including non-charters, and further develops a picture of the financial status of public schools in New Orleans. The 2011 State of Public Education in Louisiana Report: Governance, Demographics, and Enrollment 04/2011 This portion of The 2011 State of Public Education in Louisiana Report provides visual tools to explain the structure of public education legislature in Louisiana and the structure of public education governance in Orleans parish. It also provides information on the demographics of student population in the state based on ethnicity and eligibility to receive free and reduced lunch.

Lastly, it compares charter school enrollment to public, private, and parochial school enrollment. The 2011 State of Public Education in Louisiana Report: Public School Funding 04/2011 This section of The 2011 State of Public Education in Louisiana Report includes detailed information on the Minimum Foundation Program ( MFP), including the local and state shares and an explanation of the funding structure for public schools in general and in the Recovery School District. It also provides a comparison of school funding across Louisiana districts and between Louisiana and the rest of the country. All 2011 Education-related Bills 01/2011 The Louisiana Legislature convenes at noon on April 25, 2011 for its regular, fiscal-only session. This spreadsheet lists the summaries of education, school and student related prefiled bills that will be considered during the April 25, 2011 fiscal session of the Louisiana legislature. It includes the bill number, date filed, authors, status, and summary of the bill. The spreadsheet was last updated July 15, 2011.

The 2010 State of Public Education in New Orleans: School Facilities Report 12/2010 In this publication, the Cowen Institute provides details and highlights issues related to the School Facilities Master Plan for Orleans Parish, a $2 billion blueprint to build and renovate schools across the city. In addition, we consider the road ahead, including potential speed bumps, with school building assignments, funding for facility maintenance, and cost estimate adjustments. Finally, we present our recommendations for policies and practices to ensure that every child in New Orleans attends school in a state-of-the-art facility. NOLA by the Numbers: School Enrollment & Demographics, October 20 Each school year, the Louisiana Department of Education conducts two student enrollment counts: on October 1st and February 1st.

These counts also document the race, sex, grade level, and free and reduced lunch eligibility status of students. The enrollment counts are particularly important because they are used to determine the amount of funding schools and districts receive from the state. The October 2010 enrollment count shows that public schools in New Orleans are generally continuing along in their post-Katrina trajectory.

NOLA by the Numbers: School Performance Scores, 20 The 2010 baseline School Performance Scores ( SPS), released by the Louisiana Department of Education in October 2010, are used as a measure of absolute school performance and as a means of calculating academic growth. This year’s scores show that, once again, elementary and secondary public schools in New Orleans are among the fastest improving in the state, with the number of schools rated academically unacceptable down to 18 from 31 last year. This briefing presents an analysis of the 2010 SPS scores and how they compare to previous years. Surveying the Public High School Landscape in New Orleans 10/2010 This report presents a detailed assessment of the current state of public high schools in New Orleans and the extent to which they are preparing our students for college and careers. It serves as a tool for education leaders, families, community members, and other stakeholders and examines graduation rates, the percentage of students passing graduate exit exams, and the state-determined School Performance Scores in order to evaluate the performance of high schools in New Orleans today. An Analysis of the Recommendation Concerning the Transfer of RSD Schools to Local Control 10/2010 On September 14, 2010, State Superintendent Paul Pastorek and Recovery School District ( RSD) Superintendent Paul Vallas presented their recommendation for a process to transfer RSD schools back to local control. The recommendation presented by the superintendents is a multi-faceted document with many different conditions that would govern the decision about whether to return or retain schools.

Whatever BESE’s final decision is, it will have significant implications for public schools in New Orleans for years to come. Given the detailed nature of the recommendation and the importance of BESE’s decision, the Cowen Institute felt that it is crucial that all aspects be examined carefully so that revisions can be made where appropriate. This position paper reflects our thoughts about the aspects of the recommendation that we believe need further consideration and possible revision. The first section of the paper presents a short summary of the recommendation.

The second section analyzes key aspects of the recommendation and includes Cowen Institute recommendations related to each key aspect. Louisiana Charter School Authorizer Excellence Project 08/2010 The Office of Parental Options ( OPO) at the Louisiana Department of Education ( LDE) held a conference that gathered national experts and local leaders in charter authorizing and the charter school movement to consider ways to improve state laws and policies governing the charter authorizing process. This report, written in collaboration with the Office of Parental Options at the Louisiana Department of Education, documents the topics discussed at the conference, including strengths and weaknesses, recommendations for changes to policy or law, and remaining questions. The Law, Policy, and Procedures Governing the Oversight and Review of BESE Authorized Charter Schools 08/2010 Based on information from the Louisiana Department of Education, the Cowen Institute released an informational report about the law, policy, and procedures for the oversight and review of BESE authorized charter schools, outlining the policies of the state of Louisiana, BESE, and the Charter School Office.

The information and data collected through these processes is vital for the authorizer to make quality, fact-based decisions about the extension, renewal, or revocation of a charter. The 2010 State of Public Education in New Orleans: Five Years After Hurricane Katrina 07/2010 In addition to explaining how the current system emerged after Hurricane Katrina, the report gives detailed information on student demographics, school facilities, school finances, school choice and human capital. It provides detailed student achievement data by school and survey results from a recent public opinion poll on school governance. The report shows successes that schools have achieved over the past two years as well as key challenges of public education in New Orleans. Managing Innovation: Models for Governing the System of Public Schools in New Orleans 06/2010 The public school reform movement in New Orleans is driven by the state takeover of most public schools and an explosion in the number of public charter schools; as a result, new challenges are created and a new approach to education governance is required. In this report, the Cowen Institute and the Bureau of Governmental Research ( BGR) collaborate and present five potential models for governing public schools in New Orleans. Ensuring Transparency & Accountability in the Charter School Renewal Process 06/2010 In 2010, BESE will evaluate and consider the renewal of Type 5 charter schools (the low-performing schools taken over by the Recovery School District and chartered by BESE) for the first time.

This report reviews national best practices and compares Louisiana’s laws and policies to what well-respected national organizations recommend. It also describes the current year’s renewal policies and offers observations about the implementation of BESE’s policies. Suggestions for the improvement of the charter school renewal process are also provided. The 2010 State of Public Education in New Orleans Report 03/2010 In addition to explaining how the current system emerged after Hurricane Katrina, the report gives detailed information on student demographics, school facilities, school finances, school choice and human capital. It provides detailed student achievement data by school and survey results from a recent public opinion poll on school governance. The report shows successes that schools have achieved over the past two years as well as key challenges of public education in New Orleans.

To download the excutive summary, click here. To download the full report, click here. NOLA by the Numbers: ACT Scores, Class of 20 The Louisiana Department of Education releases annually the average composite, English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning American College Test ( ACT) scores at both the district and school levels.

The ACT, which students generally take in the 11th or 12th grade, is intended to measure students general educational development and their capability to complete college-level work. College entrance exams such as the ACT are required for admissions to most two- and four-year colleges and universities in the state. The class of 2010 showed improvement at Recovery School District high schools.

Defining the Role of City Hall in K-12 Public Education in New Orleans 01/2010 This report outlines the role of the mayor in impacting social policies that currently affect public education in New Orleans. The report specifically urges the mayoral governance to positively influence the public education sector by: coordinating the New Orleans Master Plan with the School Facilities Master Plan, enforcing truancy laws to get school-aged children off the streets and back in school, and supporting the principles in the10 for 2010 campaign for youth that is led by the Afterschool Partnership.