Report explores impact of New Orleans school unification plan
The Cowen Institute at Tulane University released a guide to help New Orleans families understand the plan to bring public schools in the city back under the control of a single local district.
The Plan for School Unification in New Orleans explains that in most ways, the day-to-day experiences of students and families will largely remain unchanged due to unification. Unification will not affect school letter grades, curriculum, or staffing in schools, or how families enroll through the OneApp process.
“Unification is a momentous event for schools, families, educators, and students in New Orleans,” said Amanda Kruger Hill, executive director of the Cowen Institute. “Ensuring that families and community members understand what unification will mean for students is crucial to the success of the transition. We believe this guide is a vital step in helping the public to answer pressing questions they have about the unification process.”
The Louisiana Legislature passed Act 91 during the 2016 session which requires all Recovery School District (RSD) schools in New Orleans to come under the authorization control of the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) by 2018. At the end of August, the OPSB and RSD released a unification plan to guide the transition process for schools. The plan laid out a map for how and when the decisions required by unification will need to be made.
The Cowen Institute’s guide includes a timeline for the unification process and a glossary of key terms that help to explain public education in the city. The full guide can be downloaded at coweninstitute.com.
