When most people think of Louisiana politics, the first thoughts are not usually complimentary. And for legitimate reasons.
A prime example was the pre-Katrina Orleans Parish School District. First was the issue of performance. Before the storm, 78 of Louisiana’s public schools were failing; 55 were in the New Orleans district. Only 26 percent of eighth graders were proficient in English; 30 percent in math. Sixty-seven percent of Parish schools failed to meet state standards.
It was clear that the schools could not even meet the most generous definition of adequacy. Families who could barely afford to put their children through private schools made the extra sacrifice. The government was failing those who were most unable to help themselves.
The most insulting fact, however, was not the poor performance of the schools. It was the fetid culture of corruption that had permeated and perverted the school board for years.
In 2004, the FBI began a full investigation of the district and found mind boggling levels of criminal brazenness.
A payroll employee simply wrote herself $240,000 worth of checks. Employees recorded 50 hours of overtime every week, even during Christmas. Teachers walked out of classrooms with school laptops. One employee was on paid leave for 35 years.
Imagine getting a paycheck for sitting at home – every day – since Nixon was president.
By the time the FBI had crunched the numbers, the district was $450 million dollars in debt. Plus, more than $70 million dollars of taxpayer money was missing.
So it is no surprise that Louisiana legislators didn’t wait for the school board to attempt rebuilding itself after the storm. The state took control of the schools and placed most into the Recovery District. This gave the state enough freedom to cut through bureaucratic roadblocks previously thought impenetrable.
It gave the children in New Orleans schools a chance.
This fall will be a pivotal in the history of Louisiana education. New Orleans has a very real opportunity to undo damage that has been inflicted upon its students for years. Children will have access to resources and curricula that they’ve never experienced. And many educators are up in arms.
The teachers unions have lost almost all say in the current rebuilding. They were forced to reapply for their jobs, and many did not meet the new requirements. According to USA Today, an Algiers group received 600 applications for teaching positions; only 200 met the qualifications to interview, and only 150 of those passed the basic skills test.
There are corporations, communities and non-profits ready to tackle the challenges of education in New Orleans. There will be accountability as well. Charters, by definition, must meet their performance standards in order to continue.
This is one of the first examples of an institution going beyond its pre-Katrina limitations and substantially changing for the better. Hopefully the lessons of accountability, less government bureaucracy and more involved communities are ones we will all heed as we continue to pursue change.
