New Orleans Guide to High School and Beyond 2018

WHO IS
RUNNING THE SCHOOLS?
Signed into law on May 12, 2016, SB 432, which
is now Act 91 provided for the unification of public
schools in Orleans Parish under the oversight of the
Orleans Parish School Board and its Superintendent.
Over the past decade, significant changes have occurred
across the New Orleans public education landscape.
Today, a system of diverse and autonomous public schools
is rising to the challenge of serving all of New Orleans’
students and families. As a system of schools focused on
parental choice and school accountability, the Orleans
Parish School Board has forged new pathways to ensure
equitable enrollment of students, address expulsions, and
protect student rights, and to provide additional resources
and settings to support the individual needs of all students.
Below are definitions of commonly used terms, to help you
answer questions and in your discussions about education
in our city.
OPSB - The Orleans Parish School Board is the elected
governing body for the local school district (Orleans
Parish). It consists of seven (7) members elected by the
people of Orleans Parish. It is bound by policies set by
BESE, including mandatory state standardized testing.
OPSB sets policies for the local school district, is able to
levy taxes to fund schools, and has the authority to grant
charters to schools in the district. The Orleans Parish
School Board Superintendent makes decisions and they
are voted on and approved by the Orleans Parish School
Board.
BESE - The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
is the governing body for all schools in Louisiana. It consists
of 11 members, eight (8) of whom are elected from each
district in the State and three (3) who are appointed by the
Governor. BESE has the ability to set criteria for teacher
certification, student state testing requirements (i.e.
LEAP), and operating standards for schools. BESE has the
authority to grant charters to schools.
Charter School - A charter school is a public school that
is free and open to all students. However, some charter
schools have admissions requirements. Charter schools
are managed by an independent organization under a
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multi-year contract (called a ‘charter’). Charter schools
receive the same amount of state funding per child as
traditional schools, and are required to participate in the
state accountability programs and meet the same achievement
goals. Charter schools have more autonomy than
traditional schools in hiring practices, curriculum, and
budgeting choices.
Network Schools - New Orleans will have the first all
charter school district in the Nation under the oversight of
the Orleans Parish School Board and its Superintendent.
School Performance Scores - Often abbreviated as
“SPS,” these are high school performance ratings based
on State Assessment Performance and Progress, ACT/
WorkKeys, Strength of Diploma and Graduation Rate as
established by the Louisiana Department of Education
(LDE). The scores range from zero (O) to approximately
150. One of the following indicators will apply to schools
identified as low performing.
• Comprehensive Intervention Required (CIR):
School earned an overall letter grade of D or F for
three consecutive years and/or a cohort graduation
rate below 67% in the most recent year.
• Urgent Intervention Required (UIR): School
earned a subgroup score equivalent to an F for
two consecutive years; school had an out-ofschool
suspension rate greater than twice the
national average for three consecutive years.
• Urgent Intervention Needed (UIN): School
earned a subgroup score equivalent to a D or F in
the most recent year.
Schools meeting one or more of the above indicators must
complete and submit a school improvement plan to the
Louisiana Department of Education for approval.
For additional information on SPS, visit
www.louisianabelieves.com.