Recovery School District

The Recovery School District is a special state school district administered by the Louisiana Department of Education. Created by legislation passed in 2003, the RSD is designed to take underperforming schools and transform them into successful places for children to learn. Before Hurricane Katrina, five schools in New Orleans were placed in the RSD.

History

As a result of legislation passed during a special session of the Louisiana Legislature in November 2005, another 107 low-performing schools in New Orleans were swept into the Recovery School District. The legislation calls for these schools to remain in the RSD for a minimum of five years, after which they can be returned to local control if student performance is raised to an acceptable level.

The post-Katrina public school landscape in New Orleans is a mix of traditional public schools and public charter schools, primarily with relationships to two systems – the Recovery School District and the New Orleans Public School system.

RSD Schools

At the start of the 2008-2009 school year, there were 86 public schools open in New Orleans – including 66 Recovery School District schools (traditional and charter) and 17 New Orleans Public Schools system schools (traditional and charter). In addition, there were two schools chartered by the BESE, state Board of Elementary and secondary education

The following RSD schools are currently open:

* Abramson Science & Technology Charter
* Akili Academy of New Orleans
* Algiers Technology Academy
* Arthur Ashe Charter School
* Benjamin Banneker Elementary School
* Agnes L. Bauduit Elementary School
* Martin Berhman Elementary School
* Pierre A. Capdau-UNO Charter School
* Pierre A. Capdau -UNO Early College High
* George Washington Carver Elementary
* George Wasington Carver High School
* Joseph S. Clark High School
* Mary D. Coghill Elementary School
* Walter L. Cohen High School
* Joseph A. Craig Elementary School
* Crocker Arts & Technology Charter School
* John Dibert Elementary School
* Frederick Douglass High School
* Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School
* Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School
* Esperanza Charter School
* William J. Fischer Elementary School
* Gentilly Terrace Elementary School
* S.J. Green Charter School
* Frances Gregory Elementary School
* Paul Habans Elementary School
* Edgar P. Harney Elementary School
* Murray Henderson Elementary School
* Langston Hughes Academy
* Intercultural Charter School
* James Johnson Elementary School
* Julian Elimentary School
* KIPP Believe College Prep
* KIPP Central City
* McDonogh 15: A KIPP Transformation School [http://www.mcdonogh15.org]
* Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology
* Lafayette Academy
* Laurel Elementary School
* Live Oak Elementary School
* Livingston Elementary School
* Thurgood Marshall Middle School
* John McDonogh High School
* McDonogh 32 Elementary School
* McDonogh 42 Charter School
* McDonogh City Park Academy
* Medard Nelson-UNO Charter School
* Miller-McCoy Academy for Boys
* New Orleans Charter Science & Math High School
* New Orleans Free Academy
* L. E. Rabouin High School
* Sarah T. Reed Elementary
* Sarah T. Reed High School
* Schwarz Alternative School
* James P. Singleton Charter School (Dryades YMCA)
* Sojourner Truth Academy
* Harriet Tubman Charter Elementary School
* A. P. Tureaud Elementary School
* O. Perry Walker Charter High School
* Booker T. Washington Transitional High School
* Albert Wicker Elementary School
* Fannie C. Williams Elementary School
* Sylvanie Williams Elementary School
* Andrew Wilson Charter School
* Sophie B. Wright Charter School

Demographics

The Recovery School District serves approximately 24,000 students in its 33 traditional public schools and 33 charter schools in the 2008-2009 school year. Total public school population in New Orleans in 2008-2009 school is approximately 34,000 students in 86 That compares to about 65,000 students in the more than 120 public schools in New Orleans pre-Katrina.

Leadership

On May 4, 2007, Louisiana Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek tapped Paul Vallas, then CEO of the School District of Philadelphia, to head the RSD. Vallas agreed to accept the RSD superintendent's position after Dr. Robin Jarvis announced she would leave the RSD at the end of May.

Recruiting

To staff new RSD-run schools, the district embarked on a national recruiting campaign [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07187/799710-298.stm] in July 2007. The campaign included recruiting trips to several cities, a new Web site [http://www.whyyouteach.org] , and television, radio and print advertising. The $400,000 campaign encouraged displaced New Orleans teachers to return to the city to teach and also encouraged certified and highly qualified teachers from around the country to relocate to the city to teach in its public schools.