Vincent Rossmeier
Director of Policy
Biography
Vincent’s work focuses on the areas of post-secondary education, workforce development, and economic development. He most recently worked as chief of staff to District “C” Council member Kristin Gisleson Palmer of the New Orleans City Council. Prior to his work with the city, Vincent worked for the Bureau of Government Research and Partnership for Youth Development. He holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism from New York University and has worked both at the New Yorker and Salon.com.
Education
New York University
University of Virginia
Links
Articles
State of Public Education in New Orleans 2018
2018
This annual report, The State of Public Education in New Orleans, captures as much information as possible about our New Orleans public schools in a single document. When coupled with our annual public perception poll conducted over the same period, we have been able to provide the public with wide-ranging, valuable data and insights about how schools and students are performing, the impact of major policy changes, and families’ opinions about the educational opportunities available in this city. 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. The move to a unified system comes at a unique time: Examined from almost any data point, whether student achievement, graduation rates, or school performance, public education in New Orleans has improved dramatically since 2005. Public support for unification remains high, and voters approved three millages to fund schools late last year. Yet, the OPSB will continue to face many challenges once schools come under its oversight. Equity remains a major issue, as many of the city’s highest performing schools have selective admissions criteria, and there are not enough A and B rated schools for all students to attend. The highest performing schools are not equally distributed geographically across the city, meaning families often face the choice of long bus rides or attending a lower-performing school. New Orleans also lacks sufficient high-quality early childhood options and schools within the city remain highly segregated along racial and socio-economic lines.
The Plan for School Unification in New Orleans
2016
For the past decade, public schools in New Orleans have been the focus of national attention. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, building off legislation passed prior to the storm, the Louisiana Legislature voted to give the state-run Recovery School District (RSD) the expanded authority to take over low-performing public schools in New Orleans. Th e Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) only retained authority over the city’s highest-performing schools. By 2014, all schools under the purview of the RSD had become charter schools and most OPSB schools became charters as well. The result has been the creation of the most decentralized and unique public school system in the country, with 93 percent of students currently attending public charter schools. Educators, advocates, reformers, politicians, teachers, and parents, locally and nationally, have watched the system develop and evolve over the past decade. The current model of public education in New Orleans remains controversial for many key stakeholders. Rising graduation rates and improved academic performance scores among New Orleans students over the past decade indicate that schools have improved. Yet, that improvement has also led many to question when RSD schools would come under OPSB control. The Louisiana Legislature debated a measure to return all RSD schools in New Orleans to OPSB control during the 2015 session, but the bill failed to receive approval from legislators. The 2016 session once again saw the introduction of legislation requiring immediate return of schools to the OPSB. However, legislators agreed on a compromise that requires all RSD schools to come under OPSB oversight during a two-year transition phase. This report examines the plan for the unification of schools created by the RSD and OPSB to meet the requirements laid out within the legislation.
The State of Public Education in New Orleans: 2016-2017
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.
Media Appearances
Many parents are confused about how public education now works in New Orleans, report says
"I completely understand why parents would be confused," said Vincent Rossmeier, the Cowen Institute's director of policy.
OPSB, RSD unification calls for reapplication for some
“I don’t know enough about how other municipalities handle hiring to answer this, but I would say that no other place in the country has had a similar school landscape to New Orleans,” said Vincent Rossmeier, director of policy at the Cowen Institute at Tulane University. “The decentralization has been and will continue to be unique, so I’m not sure any other place would offer a clear parallel.”
A college scholarship meant to help low-income, black students now serves mostly white, middle-class kids
“This is a state that needs its brightest students to stay here over the long term so our economy grows, so that educational opportunities grow,” said Vincent Rossmeier, the director of policy for Tulane University’s Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives.
New Orleans Takes Back Its Schools — But Some Locals Fear It’s a Big Mistake
“Support for reform policies such as open enrollment and charter schools has consistently been high across all demographic groups,” said Vincent Rossmeier, the Cowen Institute’s director of policy.
