>>> SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOUNDATION FOR
EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC
BROADCASTING.
>>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO
"LOUISIANA PUBLIC SQUARE."
I'M BETH COURTNEY, PRESIDENT OF
LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.
TONIGHT'S TOPIC IS CHARTER
CHECKUP.
>> HELLO EVERYONE.
I'M SHAUNA SANFORD.
WHEN THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN
LAST MONTH, NEARLY 10% OF
LOUISIANA'S 600,000 PUBLIC
SCHOOL STUDENTS BOARDED BUSES
BOUND TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
PRIOR TO HURRICANE KATRINA,
CHARTER SCHOOLS WERE SOMETHING
OF A RARITY.
THEIR NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED
170% SINCE THE STORM.
WHILE THE MAJORITY ARE IN
ORLEANS PARISH, CHARTER SCHOOLS
ALSO OPERATE IN 19 OTHER
PARISHES, INCLUDING CADDO,
MOREHOUSE, AVOYELLES,
CALCASIEU, ST. MARY, AND EAST
BATON ROUGE.
>> WHAT IS THE DRIVING THE
GROWTH OF PUBLIC CHARTER
SCHOOLS IN THE STATE?
ARE THEY DELIVERING PROMISED
EDUCATIONAL DIVIDENDS OR
PUTTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS AT
RISK.
WHEN MEASURING SUCCESS, DO
CHARTER SCHOOLS COMPETE WITH
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON A
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
PUBLIC SQUARE LOOKS FOR
ANSWERS.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS, ALEXIANNA WAS
RECEIVING A GOOD EDUCATION AT
HER FORMER SCHOOL.
ALL A'S AND ONE B ON HER REPORT
CARD.
BUT HER AUNT RECEIVED A REALITY
CHECK OF BECOMING HER LEGAL
GUARDIAN AND TRANSFERRING HER
TO THE J.K. HAYNES CHARTER
SCHOOL IN BATON ROUGE.
>> WHEN SCHOOL START, I GET A
LETTER HOME SAYING THAT SHE
DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO READ OR ADD,
AND I'M LIKE, NO, THAT'S NOT
SO.
SHE CAN READ AND ADD.
I KNOW SHE CAN DO ALL OF THIS
RIGHT HERE.
>> AFTER SITTING DOWN WITH
ALEXIANNA, HER AUNT, DALE
MOORE, REALIZED THAT THIS CHILD
WASN'T ABLE TO READ A SIMPLE
SENTENCE OR DO A BASIC MATH
PROBLEM.
>> I WASN'T ASHAMED FOR HER, I
WAS ASHAMED BECAUSE THE SCHOOL
LET HER DOWN.
>> THROUGH CLASSROOM
INSTRUCTION, AFTER-SCHOOL
TUTORING, ALEXIANNA IS NOW IN
THE FOURTH GRADE AND PERFORMING
AT GRADE LEVEL.
ALEXIANNA IS ONE OF THE OVER
58,000 STUDENTS IN LOUISIANA
ATTENDING THE CHARTER SCHOOL.
OF THE STATE'S 1,303 PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, 110 ARE CHARTERS.
>> PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
A CHARTER SCHOOL, AUTONOMY, YOU
HEAR THAT RECORD A LOT.
AUTONOMY MEANS AROUND THINGS
YOUR BUDGETING, HIRING, FIRING,
STUDYING YOUR CURRICULUM.
IT IS ABOUT PUTTING, EMPOWERING
SCHOOL LEADERS, PRINCIPALS,
TEACHERS, PARENTS TO MAKE
DECISIONS AS CLOSE TO THE
STUDENT AS POSSIBLE.
>> CAROLINE IS THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE LOUISIANA
ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC CHARTER
SCHOOLS.
ROEMER NOTES WHILE CHARTER
SCHOOLS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO SOME
OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
THAT APPLY TO TRADITIONAL
PUBLIC SCHOOL COUNTERPARTS,
THEY ARE HELD TO MORE RIGOROUS
ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS.
>> HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN
ACADEMICS, FINANCE, AND
GOVERNANCE.
THOSE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES
ARE PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT
WASTE, THEFT, THAT WE ARE BEING
GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER
DOLLARS AND WHEN WE'RE NOT AND
THERE WILL BE CASES WHERE THERE
ARE CHARTER SCHOOLS, JUST LIKE
THERE HAVE BEEN SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, THAT ARE NOT GOOD AT
THAT PART OF IT, WE WILL NOT
ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO
OPERATE.
>> SINCE 2000, 21 CHARTER
SCHOOLS HAVE CLOSED IN THE
STATE.
>> WE ARE TOO QUICK TO SAY THAT
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FAILING.
AND THEN TRYING THESE
EXPERIMENTS ON OUR CHILDREN.
>> DEBBIE IS THE PRESIDENT OF
THE LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF
EDUCATORS.
SHE SAID THAT THE LAE HAS MANY
CONCERNS WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS,
FROM INEXPERIENCED TEACH FOR
AMERICA INSTRUCTORS IN THE
CLASSROOM TO SELECTED STUDENT
ENROLLMENT.
>> CHARTER SCHOOLS TEND TO
ADVERTISE THEMSELVES AS PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND THEREFORE, THEY
TAKE ALL CHILDREN.
BUT THERE ARE SOME CHARTER
SCHOOLS THAT ARE SELECTIVE.
SOME SCHOOLS HAVE CRITERIA ON
THE FRONT END IN ORDER TO GET
INTO THEM, THEY FRONT LOAD
THEIR CRITERIA, AND IF YOU
DON'T FIT THE CRITERIA, THEN
YOU CANNOT BE A PART OF THE
SCHOOL.
OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS WILL DO A
MORE OPEN PROCESS, BUT
SOMETIMES THE SAME CHARTER
SCHOOLS WILL BACKLOAD THEIR
CRITERIA.
SO, A CHILD THAT IS TAKEN IN TO
THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM MAY
HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN CRITERIA
MET BY THE PARENTS.
THE KIDS THEMSELVES MAY HAVE TO
MAINTAIN CERTAIN GRADE POINT
AVERAGES.
>> MEAUX AND OTHER CRITICS SAY
THE SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS
PROCESS TENDS TO SKEW
PERFORMANCE DATA, LIKE THOSE
RELEASED STANFORD UNIVERSITY
CENTER FOR EDUCATION OUTCOMES,
OR CREDO.
THE AUGUST REPORT WHICH TRACKED
LOUISIANA CHARTERS FROM 2005 TO
2011, FOUND 41% OF CHARTER
STUDENTS SHOWED LARGER GAINS IN
READING AND 42% LARGER GAINS IN
MATH COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL
PUBLIC SCHOOL PEERS.
>> PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS --
THOSE ARE THE SCHOOLS KIDS GO
TO IF THEY CAN'T GET INTO A
CHARTER SCHOOL.
IF YOU ARE REALLY TAKING THE
LOWER PERFORMING KIDS WHO CAN'T
GET INTO OTHER SCHOOLS, AND IT
ONLY STANDS TO REASON THAT THE
CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO
OUTPERFORM THE TRADITIONAL
SCHOOLS.
>> KARRAN ROYAL IS A COMMUNITY
ACTIVIST AND PARENT OF A
STUDENT IN THE NEW ORLEANS
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SHE IS CRITICAL OF CHARTER
PERFORMANCE AND CITES A REPORT
ON RESEARCH FOR REFORMS,
INDICATES THAT 78% OF THE
CHARTER SCHOOLS FALLING UNDER
THE RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN
NEW ORLEANS ARE RATED D OR F.
>> CHARTER SCHOOLS IN AND OF
THEMSELVES ARE NOT THE ANSWER
TO WHY SOME URBAN SCHOOL
DISTRICTS ARE NOT SERVING SOME
CHILDREN WELL.
WE REALLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO
SEARCH FOR THE REAL REFORM.
IF CHARTER SCHOOLS WERE THE
ANSWER, I THINK SEVEN YEARS IN
NEW ORLEANS SHOULD SHOW YOU
SOME BETTER RESULTS THAN WHAT
WE'RE SEEING.
>> AFTER KATRINA, THE RECOVERY
SCHOOL DISTRICT STARTED TAKING
ON LARGE NUMBER OF --
ORIGINALLY THREE QUARTERS OF
THE SCHOOLS WERE F'S AND NOW A
TINY NUMBER ARE F'S.
THAT'S GREAT PROGRESS.
>> JOHN WHITE SAYS THE NEW
ORLEANS SCHOOLS WERE AT A LOW
LEVEL WHEN THE STATE TOOK THEM
OVER.
HE EXPECTS EVEN MORE PROGRESS
THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT THIS YEAR
IN THE RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT
THAT THE SCHOOLS WILL HAVE D
AND F GRADES.
SOME OF THEM WILL, AS IN MANY
DISTRICTS, BUT A LOT WILL BE
B'S AND C'S.
>> STANFORD STUDY INDICATES
THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS ENROLL TWO
PERCENT FEWER SPECIAL ED
STUDENTS THAN TRADITIONAL
PUBLIC SCHOOLS --
>> CREDO REPORT ACTUALLY
HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT THAT
LOUISIANA CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE
DOG A -- ARE DOING AN
ESPECIALLY INCREDIBLE JOB
SERVING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS.
>> ROEMER ADMITS --
>> CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND WHEN A FAMILY
CHOOSES A CHARTER SCHOOL, AND,
AGAIN, REMEMBER, THESE ARE
SCHOOLS OF CHOICE.
IT ONLY MAKES SENSE FOR THOSE
DOLLARS TO FOLLOW THOSE
FAMILIES.
>> WHETHER YOU ARE A CHARTER
SCHOOL OR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC
SCHOOL ADVOCATE, ROEMER SAYS
THE DISCUSSION ABOUT EDUCATION
SOLUTIONS SHOULD FOCUS ON
OUTCOMES.
>> WE'RE CONSTANTLY YOU KNOW
BATTLING EACH OTHER.
I THINK IT IS TIME TO QUIT
BEING SO CONTENTIOUS AND FOR
INSTEAD US TO BE MORE
COLLABORATIVE AS TEACHERS, AS
EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AS
PARENTS AND STUDENTS, TO LOOK
AT SCHOOLS THAT ARE GETTING IT
DONE.
WHATEVER KIND OF SCHOOL THAT IS
AND BE ABLE TO SHARE THOSE
INNOVATIONS.
>> JOINING US FOR WHAT WE HOPE
WILL BE A COLLABORATIVE
DISCUSSION ABOUT CHARTER
SCHOOLS, RESIDENTS FROM THE
GREATER BATON ROUGE AREA.
ALSO JOINED BY REPRESENTATIVES
OF BOTH THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC
AND CHARTER SCHOOLS AS WELL AS
TWO STUDENTS FROM THE
LEGISLATIVE YOUTH ADVISORY
COUNCIL.
WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THE
PROGRAM.
IT IS SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU
HERE.
WE'RE ANXIOUS TO GET TO YOUR
THOUGHTS ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS
AND WE WILL DO THAT IN A
MOMENT.
BUT FIRST, LSU'S PUBLIC POLICY
RESEARCH LAB SURVEYED OVER 100
CITIZENS AROUND THE STATE ON
TONIGHT'S TOPIC.
AMONG THE SURVEY RESPONSES,
WHEN ASKED THEIR OPINION ABOUT
ALLOWING PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS
TO OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND
FREE OF MANY OF THE REGULATIONS
IMPOSED ON TRADITIONAL PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, 56% OF THE RESPONDENTS
FAVORED THE IDEA.
24% OPPOSED THE IDEA OF CHARTER
SCHOOLS, AND 22% WERE UNSURE.
WHEN INFORMED THAT MOST
CHARTERS IN THE STATE ARE UNDER
THE JURISDICTION OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, VERSUS
A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, LIKE
THEIR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL
COUNTERPARTS, 60% OF THOSE
SURVEYED FAVORED HAVING LOCAL
CONTROL OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.
33% ACTUALLY SUPPORTED THE IDEA
OF HAVING THE STATE CONTROL
CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND 7% WERE UNSURE.
IT'S A CONSISTENTLY -- IF A
CONSISTENTLY POOR PERFORMING
SCHOOL -- 60% RECOMMEND KEEPING
THE SCHOOL OPEN AND PROVIDING
OUTSIDE SUPPORT.
EQUAL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE
SURVEYED, 16%, WOULD REOPEN THE
SCHOOL AS A CHARTER SCHOOL OR
REOPEN THE SCHOOL WITH A NEW
PRINCIPAL.
8% OF RESPONDENTS WOULD CLOSE
THE SCHOOL AND SEND THE
STUDENTS TO BETTER NEARBY
SCHOOLS.
14% WERE EITHER UNSURE OR
REFUSED TO ANSWER.
AND LASTLY, WHEN ASKED ABOUT
THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION THAT
STUDENTS RECEIVE AT A PUBLIC
CHARTER SCHOOL COMPARED TO A
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL, 45%
SAID THEY BELIEVE THAT IT
DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
44% BELIEVE CHARTER STUDENTS
WOULD RECEIVE A BETTER
EDUCATION, 5% BELIEVE STUDENTS
WOULD RECEIVE A WORSE EDUCATION
AT A CHARTER SCHOOL.
WE ARE GOING TO START THERE
WITH OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE BASED
ON YOUR OPINION, PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE S, DO YOU THINK THAT
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR THAT CHARTER
SCHOOLS OFFER A BETTER
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THAN
THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS?
LET'S START WITH YOU, DIANA.
YOU OPERATE A CHARTER SCHOOL.
J.K. HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL IN
EAST BATON ROUGE.
THE STUDENT WHO WE SAW IN OUR
PIECE ATTENDS YOUR SCHOOL.
HER MOTHER MADE VERY
INTERESTING COMMENTS.
I'M SURE YOU HEARD MANY TIMES
BEFORE FROM OTHER PARENTS.
BUT HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE
YOU ARE ON THIS ISSUE.
>> J.K. HAYNES HAS BEEN A
CHARTER SCHOOL SINCE 1997.
WHEN WE STARTED OUR CHARTER
SCHOOL, WE WERE TYPE ONE, THE
EDR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE ARE A SCHOOL OF CHOICE.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO COMPETE
WITH THE REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOL.
WE WORK TOGETHER.
AND WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR THE
PAST 15 TO 16 YEARS.
WE DO A LOT OF NURTURING AT
J.K. HAYNES CHARTER.
OUR STUDENTS ARE JUST
WONDERFUL.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PARENTAL
SUPPORT.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT WITH OUR
STUDENTS AT THE J.K. HAYNES
CHARTER.
>> SCOTT, I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR
OPINION ON THIS.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT
CHARTER SCHOOLS AND WHAT ROLE
THEY SHOULD PLAY, IF ANY?
>> SHAUNA, I THINK THE ONLY
OBJECTIVE WAY TO ANSWER THAT
TYPE OF QUESTION IS TO LOOK AT
THE DATA THAT EXISTS.
AND WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT THE
STATE HAS IN PLACE OR DISAGREE
WITH IT, IT IS WHAT JUDGES,
CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
IN LOUISIANA.
AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF
STUDENTS IN LOUISIANA ATTEND
SCHOOLS, TRADITIONAL PUBLIC
SCHOOLS RUN BY LOCAL SCHOOL
BOARDS, AND THE VAST MAJORITY
OF OUR SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA ARE
A, B, OR C SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RECOVERY
SCHOOL DISTRICT NEW ORLEANS,
AND RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT
LOUISIANA, AND YOU LOOK AT
THEIR LETTER GRADES -- RECOVERY
SCHOOL DISTRICT LOUISIANA
CURRENT LETTER GRADE OF F.
RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF NEW
ORLEANS HAS A LETTER GRADE OF
D.
WHETHER WE AGREE OR DISAGREE ON
THE ISSUES, THAT IS THE WAY
WE'RE JUDGED AS SCHOOL SYSTEMS
BY THE CURRENT STATE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
>> IS IT BELINDA?
YOUR FEELINGS.
>> WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CHARTER
SCHOOLS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO
THINK ABOUT THE TYPE OF CHARTER
SCHOOL THAT YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT.
SO, FOR ME, WHEN I EXAMINE THE
BATON ROUGE AREA ACHIEVEMENT
ZONE AND LOOK AT THE CHARTER
SCHOOLS, I THINK THERE ARE
SEVEN SCHOOLS IN THE BATON
ROUGE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE, I THINK
THAT THEY ARE STRUGGLING.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, THEIR TEST
SCORES SLIDE AFTER THEY'RE
TAKEN OVER BY THE RECOVERY
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MOST OF THE
SCHOOLS HAVE NOT RECOVERED YET.
THESE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE --
I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF
CONVERSATION WITH PARENTS IN
CHARTER SCHOOLS WHERE THEY'RE
FRUSTRATED ABOUT HOW LONG IT IS
TAKING FOR CHARTERS TO BE
REPLACED.
THEY HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN
WHAT IS A QUALITY CHARTER.
SOME CASES -- RECOVERY SCHOOL
DISTRICT, DIRECT ONES WITHOUT A
CHARTER FOR THREE YEARS NOW.
AND PARENTS ARE FRUSTRATED BY
THE TURNOVER AMONG THEIR
ADMINISTRATION AND NOT KNOWING
EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH
THEIR CHILDREN.
>> YOU HAVE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE
IN DEALING WITH CHARTERS.
TALK A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE.
>> WE OPERATE AT CAPITOL HIGH
SCHOOL FOR THREE YEARS.
ONE THING THAT WE LEARNED IS
THE CONCEPT OF SCHOOL
PERFORMANCE SCORES IS THE
PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE TO MEASURE STUDENTS.
WHEN CAPITAL WAS PUT IN THE
RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND
MOST OF THE STUDENTS FLED TO
THE EDR SYSTEM, WE WERE LEFT
WITH A DIFFERENT STUDENT BODY
THAN WHAT ORIGINALLY EXISTED AT
CAPITOL.
WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO
EDUCATE THE STUDENT BODY.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS A FAILED
MODEL.
AND WE RETURNED CAPITOL TO
THE -- AFTER THE THIRD YEAR, WE
WERE DOING ACCEPTABLE TO BESSY
BUT NOT ACCEPTABLE TO US.
BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THE MODEL
WAS A FAILED MODEL.
>> THE FRUSTRATION THAT PARENTS
HAVE.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE PARENTS
ARE COMING FROM.
>> YES.
THE QUESTION IS CHARTER SCHOOLS
FOR US WAS NOT CAN A NEW
CHARTER SCHOOL OPEN FREE OF
CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND
SUCCEED?
IT IS CAN A CHARTER OPERATOR
TAKE OVER A RECOVERY SCHOOL
DISTRICT SCHOOL, A FAILING
SCHOOL, AND THEN TAKE THAT
STUDENT BODY AND TURN THAT
STUDENT BODY AROUND?
THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE HAVE TO
MEASURE.
YOU CAN'T MEASURE THE SCHOOL.
YOU HAVE TO MEASURE THE
IMPROVEMENT WITH INDIVIDUAL
STUDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE THE
PLAYING FIELD E EQUAL.
>> WE HEARD IT IN THE PACKAGE
THAT THE CHARTER SCHOOL CAN BE
SELECTIVE.
TALKING ABOUT EDUCATING ALL
KIDS.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE THE
ABILITY TO TURN AWAY KIDS.
THEY HAVE TO EDUCATE THE KIDS
WHO ACTUALLY COME TO THEM.
YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT.
>> I THINK IT IS AN UNTRUE
CONCEPT SAYING THAT CHARTER
SCHOOLS ARE SELECTIVE.
I AM HEAD OF A SCHOOL OF AN
OPEN ENROLL CHARTER SCHOOLS IN
NEW ORLEANS AND WE ARE
PERFORMING IN ORLEANS PARISH
SCHOOLING SYSTEM.
WE HAVE PERFORMING CHARTER
SCHOOLS -- I THINK THAT WE HAVE
TO LOOK AT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS
FROM THE CONCEPT THAT WE ARE
MAKING GAINS.
WE ARE HAVING SUCCESSFUL
CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE
IMPACTING OUR YOUTH IN NEW
ORLEANS AND MAKING A
DIFFERENCE.
ORLEANS PARISH, ACROSS THE
BOARD, OUR CHARTER SCHOOL
SYSTEM IS OUTPACING THE PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM AND -- WITH ALL
STUDENTS, NOT SELECTIVE
STUDENTS.
>> YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE NOT
SELECTIVE.
>> NOT SELECTIVE.
>> ARE YOU SAYING ALL CHARTER
SCHOOLS?
>> ALL OF US HAVE A POLICY WHEN
IT COMES TO ENROLLMENT.
EVERY CHILD IN NEW ORLEANS HAS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THE
CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE
BOARD CITY WIDE.
LET'S GET YOUR COMMENT.
>> I PERSONALLY GO TO A CHARTER
SCHOOL.
AND I MEAN, WE'RE SUCCEEDING.
I KNOW THAT FROM PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE.
I'VE GONE THERE SINCE
KINDERGARTEN.
BUT LIKE WITH THE WHOLE -- WE
OPERATE UNDER A LOTTERY SYSTEM.
I MEAN EVERYBODY IS WELCOME TO
APPLY FOR OUR LOTTERY SYSTEM,
BUT CERTAIN ARE CHOSEN, BUT I
MEAN, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENTS
FOR IT.
BUT I THINK WHAT THE COMMON
MISCONCEPTION IS THAT WE GET
STUDENTS THAT ALREADY HAVE BEEN
MOLDED, BUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO
IS WE TAKE IN STUDENTS AND MOLD
THEM INTO THE STUDENTS THAT
THEY NEED TO BE.
AND, I MEAN, IT WORKS BETTER
JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE
DIRECTOR, ONE SCHOOL BOARD
LOOKING AFTER ONE SCHOOL, AND
THAT ONE SCHOOL FOCUSES ON THE
ONE STUDENT AND IT CREATES A
BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR
EVERYBODY.
>> WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN?
>> A SENIOR.
>> GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
TREY, YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT
CHARTER VERSUS TRADITIONAL.
>> WELL, THE QUALITY OF
EDUCATION IN LOUISIANA, RANKS,
48, 49, 50.
IT IS NOT ONE OF OUR STRONG
POINTS.
AND, SO, I AM IN FAVOR OF
ANYTHING THAT GIVES THE
STUDENTS IN LOUISIANA A BETTER
CHANCE AT SUCCEEDING, NOT ONLY
ACADEMICALLY, BUT BEYOND
SCHOOL, IN LIFE, AND, YOU KNOW,
FINDING A GOOD JOB AND
PROVIDING A LIFE FOR THE FAMILY
THAT THEY HOPE TO HAVE ONE DAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BEST
POINT THAT I HEARD IN THE VIDEO
THAT STARTED THE SHOW IS, YOU
KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO WORK
TOGETHER AND FIND THINGS THAT
ARE WORKING WELL WITH THE
CHARTER SCHOOLS AND FIGURE OUT
HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT
INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE
SCHOOLS AND BE COLLABORATIVE.
>> I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED
THAT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT POINT
THAT SHE MADE AT THE END THAT
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY IS
ALWAYS FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND
THAT THERE IS NEVER, YOU KNOW,
COMING TOGETHER AND TRYING TO
FIND SOME SORT OF COMMON
GROUND.
IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU ALL
WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF, SORT
OF A COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION,
MUCH LIKE WE'RE HAVING TONIGHT.
DOES IT SEEM LIKE THERE IS
CONSTANT BATTLING GOING ON BACK
AND FORTH?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE CERTAINLY -- CHARTERS TO
HELP ACCESS FUNDS THAT MAYBE WE
HAD ACCESS TO THAT WE WERE IN
THE ABLE TO APPLY FOR.
WE WORK WITH THEM TO TRY TO
BUILD COLLABORATION AROUND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
OPPORTUNITIES, CHANCES FOR US
TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE ARE ALL SEEKING TO SERVE THE
SAME STUDENT.
RATHER THAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS
THAT NEVER SEEM TO END ABOUT
WHAT THE STRUCTURE OF THE
SCHOOL IS, PARENTS DON'T
NECESSARILY FEEL THAT
STRUCTURE.
THEY SEE A SCHOOL AND WANT TO
BE SURE THAT THAT SCHOOL IS
SERVING THEIR KIDS.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
>> OUR CONVERSATION IS GOING TO
CONTINUE.
THAT'S IT FOR THIS PORTION OF
THE SHOW.
WHEN WE RETURN, WE WILL BE
JOINED BY A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO
FURTHER EXPLORE CHARTER SCHOOLS
IN LOUISIANA.
STAY TUNED.
WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.
>> HELLO EVERYONE.
WELCOME BACK TO "LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SQUARE."
TONIGHT WE'RE DISCUSSING PUBLIC
CHARTER SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA.
JOINING US IS OUR PANEL OF
EXPERTS.
VERONICA BROOKS IS THE POLICY
DIRECTOR AT THE LOUISIANA
ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC CHARTER
>> MICHAEL DESHOTELS, A RETIRED
EDUCATOR, SERVED AS HEAD OF THE
LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF
EDUCATORS.
>> CHRIS MEYER, FOUNDER OF NEW
SCHOOLS FOR BATON ROUGE,
NONPROFIT DEDICATED FOR
CREATING NEW SCHOOLS FOR THE
1,200 STUDENTS THAT CURRENTLY
ATTEND A FAILING SCHOOL.
>> AND DR. BEEBE, MEMBER OF
LOUISIANA BOARD OF ELEMENTARY
AND SECONDARY EDUCATION AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE
ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL
SYSTEM.
IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU
ALL HERE.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE AUDIENCE,
AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN
LISTENING IN ON THE
CONVERSATION, PLEASE SHARE WITH
US WHERE YOU ARE ON CHARTERS,
VERSUS TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.
AND WE WILL START WITH YOU,
VERONICA.
>> SURE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT
SAYING CHARTERS VERSUS
TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS, A FALSE
DICHOTOMY ACTUALLY.
I THINK REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD
BE TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT IS
GOOD FOR KIDS AND HOW WE'RE
GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF
OUR KIDS ARE PREPARED FOR A
COMPETITIVE ECONOMY YOU KNOW,
NOT JUST LOUISIANA, NOT
NATIONALLY, BUT ON A GLOBAL
SCALE.
WHETHER THAT IS A CHARTER
SCHOOL, OR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC
SCHOOL, I PERSONALLY DON'T
REALLY CARE AS LONG AS THE WORK
IS GETTING DONE.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN REALLY
USE CHARTER SCHOOLS AS A
VEHICLE TO DO THAT.
AS IT RELATES TO ONE VERSUS THE
OTHER, I THINK THAT IS A FALSE
DICHOTOMY.
WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE A
DECISION.
>> MIKE, WHAT ABOUT YOU, YOUR
THOUGHTS.
>> I AGREE THAT YOU CAN'T
CLASSIFY ONE TYPE OF SCHOOL AS
GOOD OR BAD BECAUSE OF ITS
NAME, BUT I DO HAVE BIG
CONCERNS ABOUT CERTAIN TYPES OF
CHARTER SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY
THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN
TAKE-OVER SCHOOLS WHERE THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HAS TAKEN OVER CERTAIN SCHOOLS
FROM LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND
HANDED THEM OVER TO CHARTER
OPERATIONS.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF
POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE, AND I
THINK THAT REALLY SCHOOLS WORK
BETTER WHEN THEY'RE RUN BY THE
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, BY THE
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS.
AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE LOCAL
SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE SET-UPS AND
EXCELLENT CHARTER SCHOOLS AND
THERE IS NO PROBLEM.
WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY A SCHOOL AND
GIVE IT TO THE STATE AND YOU
TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE
WHO VOTED FOR THE TAXES FOR
THOSE SCHOOLS, THAT'S A BIG
MISTAKE.
AND IT TAKES AWAY THE PUBLIC
INPUT INTO THOSE SCHOOLS.
>> CHRIS.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK LIKE
VERONICA WAS SAYING, IT IS MORE
A QUESTION ABOUT QUALITY AND
EXCELLENT, REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER IT IS A PRIVATE SCHOOL
WHICH HAS A LONG TRADITION
HERE.
PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH
LOUISIANA, A PUBLIC SCHOOL OR
PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL.
THE QUESTIONS WE OUGHT TO BE
ASKING, ONE, WHAT ARE THE
OUTCOMES AND RESULTS THAT THOSE
SCHOOLS ARE GETTING?
WE SEE EXAMPLES ACROSS THE
STATE AND COUNTRY, SCHOOLS,
REGARDLESS OF KIDS'
BACKGROUNDS, EXCELLENT ACADEMIC
OUTCOMES FOR THE KIDS.
CAN THE LEADER OF THOSE
SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, CONTROL
ALL OF THE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENS IN THAT SCHOOL, TO BEST
MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE KIDS AND
DO PARENTS HAVE ACCESS TO
CHOOSE A SCHOOL THAT BEST FITS
THE NEEDS OF THEIR KIDS?
FINALLY THIS QUESTION OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, FOR SCHOOLS
THAT AREN'T PERFORMING WELL,
WHAT IS OUR ANSWER REGARDLESS
IF IT IS PRIVATE, PUBLIC, OR
CHARTER SCHOOL PUBLIC, WHAT IS
OUR ANSWER WHEN A SCHOOL IS NOT
PERFORMING WELL VERSUS ONE THAT
IS DOING WELL.
>> DR. BEEBE.
>> I'M A STRONG PROPONENT OF
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I AM A GRADUATE OF A
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL AND
I'M A SUPERINTENDENT OF A
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM AND I PERSONALLY BELIEVE
THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO EDUCATE ALL CHILDREN AND
WITH THE MONEY THAT IS SIPHONED
AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL PUBLIC
SYSTEMS -- IN FACT, I DO
BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATIONAL
LEADERS TO PROVIDE QUALITY
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR
CHILDREN.
YOU KNOW, WE ADVOCATE CHOICE
FOR PARENTS, BUT OFTENTIMES THE
CHOICE IS FROM TRANSFER FROM A
FAILING SCHOOL TO ANOTHER
FAILING SCHOOL TO ANOTHER
FAILING SCHOOL AND THEN WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE THUS
FAR IN THE RSD, IT LEAVES
CERTAINLY A QUESTION IN MY
MIND, WHY DON'T WE ALLOCATE THE
RESOURCES TO TRADITIONAL
SYSTEMS, WORK WITH TRADITIONAL
SYSTEMS, AND I KNOW THOSE
CRITICS WILL SAY THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE FAILED WITHIN THE
PUBLIC SYSTEM, TRADITIONAL
SYSTEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE
HAVE HAD MONEY TAKEN AWAY -- IN
FACT, THE 2.75% INCREASE, WE
HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT AS
TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS.
SO, IT MAKES IT QUITE
CHALLENGING TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT I
THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY,
AS EDUCATIONAL LEADERS WITHIN
THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN.
>> YOU MENTIONED STUDENTS AND
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE
STUDENTS HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN WITH
THEM.
WE WILL START WITH YOU HALEY.
>> I AM A SENIOR OF --
>>
>> THE LEGISLATURE JUST
RECENTLY PASSED A NEW LAW THAT
EXEMPTED CHARTER SCHOOLS FROM
HAVING CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
I THINK THAT IS A TERRIBLE
MISTAKE, AND IT DIMINISHES THE
EDUCATION PROFESSION.
THERE IS NO REASON WE SHOULDN'T
REQUIRE CERTIFIED TEACHERS OF
ALL SCHOOLS.
>> SO, THE OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF TEACHERS IN CHARTER
SCHOOLS ARE CERTIFIED.
THAT LAW WAS PASSED FOR THE
OCCASIONAL EXCEPTION, RIGHT.
SO, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE A
CHARTER SCHOOL THAT IS TEACHING
ADVANCED PHYSICS, AND IN SOME
AREAS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
FIND A CERTIFIED PHYSICS
TEACHER, BUT THERE MAY BE A
LOCAL UNIVERSITY, FOR EXAMPLE,
WHERE THERE IS A RETIRED
PROFESSOR, OR, YOU KNOW,
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR WHO MIGHT
WANT TO TEACH IN THAT SCHOOL.
AND I THINK IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT, YOU
KNOW, REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO
SEE ARE OUTCOMES, NOT JUST
INPUTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING
CERTIFICATION IS ON THE FRONT
END THAT WE WOULD HOPE WOULD
SUGGEST THAT THAT IS GOING TO
BE A QUALITY TEACHER.
BUT THERE IS A LOT OF RESEARCH
THAT SAYS IT IS A MIXED BAG.
SOMETIMES YOU GET A GREAT
CERTIFIED TEACHER, AND
SOMETIMES YOU DON'T.
AND I THINK THAT, AGAIN, REALLY
I THINK CHRIS MENTIONED
OUTCOMES, AND I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON
MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR
TEACHERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR
CREDENTIALS, ARE REALLY SERVING
KIDS WELL.
>> AND IT IS A GREAT QUESTION
THAT SHE ASKED.
IF YOU'RE BEING HELD TO A
HIGHER STANDARD, THEN WHY
AREN'T TEACHERS BEING HELD TO A
HIGHER STANDARD?
THAT IS A FAIR QUESTION.
WHEN YOU LOOK A THE CHARTER
SCHOOL SYSTEM, A LOT OF
TEACHERS COME FROM TEACH FOR
AMERICA, THAT WOULD BE AN
ACCURATE WAY OF SAYING THAT.
THEY'RE NOT REQUIRE FD TO BE
CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
>> TEACH FOR AMERICA TEACHERS
ARE CERTIFIED --
>> ALL OF THEM ARE CERTIFIED --
>> THEY WORK TOWARDS THEIR
CERTIFICATION --
>> THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS
THEIR CERTIFICATION WHILE
TEACHING BUT -- THEY'RE NOT
REQUIRED TO BE CERTIFIED?
>> THROUGH THIS NEW LAW THEY
WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED.
>> WOULD NOT BE.
>> BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT
THEY ARE BEING HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
IF THAT TEACHER IS NOT
PERFORMING WELL, THAT SCHOOL
LEADER HAS AN OBLIGATION, AND
THAT IS TRUE TRADITIONAL OR
CHARTER, TO EITHER PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO THAT TEACHER TO
HELP THEM GET BETTER OR TO
REMOVE THAT TEACHER FROM THE
CLASSROOM.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY,
CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR RESULTS.
IF THEY CAN'T PERFORM, THEN,
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BE SHUT DOWN
AND WE HAVE SHUT DOWN POOR
PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS.
IN TERMS OF TEACHERS, IT
BEHOOVES YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT TEACHER
IN EVERY CLASSROOM REGARDLESS
OF HOW THEY GOT INTO THE
CLASSROOM.
>> I THINK YOU BRING UP ANOTHER
EXCELLENT POINT.
IF THE CHARTERS ARE NOT
WORKING, WHAT HAPPENS.
CHRIS, YOU MENTIONED THAT AS
WELL.
HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER A CHARTER
SCHOOL IS WORKING?
>> WHAT OUR STATE HAS ACTUALLY
BEEN A LEADER ON IN THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY, BESSY BOARD HAS DONE
IN HOLDING CHARTER SCHOOLS
ACCOUNTABLE.
AT THE THREE-YEAR MARK, A
CHECK-IN BASED ON PERFORMANCE,
PERFORMAN
PERFORMANCE, FINANCIALS, AND
GOVERNANCE.
LOUISIANA, AS THE VIDEO SHOWS,
HAS BEEN CONSISTENT.
IF YOU DON'T MEET THE BAR, THAT
SCHOOL IS NOT -- IS REMOVED.
IT IS A MINIMAL BAR.
PARTICULARLY OUT OF NEW
ORLEANS, I WAS A TEACHER IN NEW
ORLEANS BEFORE THE HURRICANE,
AND THE LAST THING WE WERE
DOING IN THAT SYSTEM WAS
EDUCATING KIDS.
IT WAS DYSFUNCTIONAL.
THE REALITY IS THAT THE CHARTER
SCHOOL MOVEMENT ALLOWED THIS
EMPOWERMENT OF EDUCATORS, PART
OF A TRADITIONAL SYSTEM AND
OTHERWISE, FINALLY HAVE CONTROL
OVER THEIR BUDGET AND OVER
THEIR TIME AND THE RESOURCES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
THINK WE NEED TO TALK MORE
ABOUT, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN ALL
SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
RESOURCES, DECISION-MAKING
POWER IS ACTUALLY AT THE SCHOOL
LEVEL TO EMPOWER THOSE SCHOOLS
TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS.
THAT'S THE REALITY WE SEE HERE.
AND KNOWING THAT OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS COULD MODEL
THEMSELVES, AND MANY DO, BUT
AFTER BESSY.
LOOK AT THE HIGH STANDARDS --
WHY AREN'T ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS
HELD TO A THREE-YEAR LOOK IN
PERFORMANCE.
>> WE HAVE NATHANIEL, ANOTHER
STUDENTS WITH A QUESTION.
>> MY QUESTION IS, I ATTEND A
CHARTER SCHOOL, AND THE GENERAL
CONSENSUS IS THAT CHARTER
SCHOOLS IN MORE URBAN AREAS
PERFORM BETTER THAN CHARTERS IN
SUBURBAN AND RURAL AREAS?
CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THAT IS?
>> I MEAN I'LL JUMP IN.
I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE
CREDO STUDY OUT OF STANFORD
UNIVERSITY, WHICH NATIONALLY
FOUND THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS
DIDN'T PERFORM ANY BETTER OR
WORSE THAN THE SCHOOLS.
IN LOUISIANA, THE CHARTER
SCHOOLS HERE OUTPERFORM ON
AVERAGE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.
WHEN WE DUG IN MORE CLOSELY, IT
SAID THE SCHOOLS IN NEW ORLEANS
SPECIFICALLY WERE
OUTPERFORMING -- THERE WAS THIS
INTENSE FOCUS.
WHAT DOES AUTONOMY REALLY MEAN.
EVERY SCHOOL IS OPERATING IN A
WAY THAT ALL OF THE PRINCIPALS
HAD DECISION MAKING POWER, A
LOT MORE COLLABORATION,
COMPETITION, AND PRESSURE, JUST
SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
NO TRADITIONAL VERSUS CHARTER.
MORE WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GET
RESULTS.
WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR BEST
TALENT.
IF WE HAVE A TALENT THAT IS NOT
WORKING OUT FOR THE KIDS NEEDS
TO BE MOVED OUT QUICKLY.
I THINK THAT ECOSYSTEM ISN'T
FELT AS MUCH IN OTHER PARTS OF
THE STATE.
LOTS OF PEOPLE DOING PIONEERING
THINGS IN OTHER PARTS.
SCHOOLS, BECAUSE OF THE RULES
OF THE STATE BOARD AND
OTHERWISE, WILL BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR RESULTS.
IF THEY ARE NOT GETTING IT
DONE --
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I DISAGREE WITH THE CREDO
STU
STUDY CLASSIFYING THE SUBURBAN
SCHOOLS AS LESS THOROUGH AND
NOT AS EFFECTIVE.
I THINK THE WAY THE STUDY WAS
STRUCTURED WAS WRONG.
THEY COMPARED THE NEW ORLEANS
CHARTER SCHOOLS TO THE NEW
ORLEANS DIRECT RUN SCHOOLS.
AND THOSE ARE THE VERY POOREST
SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.
WHEN YOU COMPARE THE CHARTER
SCHOOLS TO THE POOREST RUN
SCHOOL IN THE STATE, OBVIOUSLY
YOU HAVE AN IMPROVEMENT OR A
BETTER PERFORMANCE.
THE SUBURBAN SCHOOLS ARE BEING
COMPARED TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL
SYSTEMS WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCORES OF
THE STUDENT, YOU GUYS ARE DOING
BETTER THAN THE SCHOOLS ARE IN
THE NEW ORLEANS AREA.
I CAN ASSURE YOU ON THE
AVERAGE, MUCH BETTER.
>> VERONICA, DO YOU WANT TO
JUMP IN?
>> I WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK
CLARIFICATION.
I WILL GET SUPER NERDY REALLY
QUICKLY, WHICH IS ME ALL OF THE
TIME.
ACTUALLY THE CREDO STUDY USED A
VIRTUAL TWIN MODEL, WHICH MEANS
THAT YOU ARE NOT COMPARING THE
SCHOOL AND THE TRADITIONAL
SCHOOLS TO THE CHARTER
SCHOOLS -- WHAT YOU DO FOR EACH
INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS, YOU LOOK
AT THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC.
WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO FIND
ANOTHER KID IN THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA WHO MATCHES MATT
DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THE MOST PART.
AND WHEN WE USE THE CREDO
STUDY, AND WE SAY THAT CHARTERS
ARE OUTPERFORMING TRADITIONAL
SCHOOLS OR WHENEVER WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT DATA IN THAT
STUDY, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER
THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
ENTIRE STATE AND FINDING KIDS
IN THE AGGREGATE WHO LOOK LIKE
THE KIDS WHO ARE IN THE
CHARTERS, AS WELL.
SO, IT COULD BE THAT THE
SUBURBAN RURAL SCHOOLS, SOME OF
THE KIDS WHO MATCH YOU
DEMOGRAPHICALLY ELSEWHERE WERE
DOING WELL, BUT PERHAPS SITTING
IN THE DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE IN,
YOU'RE ACTUALLY OUTPERFORMING
THAT DISTRICT.
SO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT
CLARIFICATION.
>> IF I MAY INTERJECT, I'M
ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT THE
STUDIES THAT WE HEAR ABOUT FOR
VARIOUS THINGS, AND IT JUST
GIVES THE PUBLIC A FALSE SENSE
OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN OUR CHARTER
SCHOOLS.
AND, ONCE AGAIN, MY REAL ISSUE
IS WITH THE FACT THAT WE ARE
SIPHONING OFF THE FUNDING, THE
FUNDING IS NOT PUT IN PLACE TO
ASSIST ALL CHILDREN WITHIN THE
PUBLIC SETTING.
AGAIN, WHEN I LOOK AT CHARTER
SCHOOLS AND WE -- AS PUBLIC
SYSTEMS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I SEE
THEM AS PRIVATE SCHOOLS USING
PUBLIC FUNDS.
AND, AGAIN, I THINK WE HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO EDUCATE THE
CHILDREN, PROVIDE THOSE
OUTCOMES AND WE COULD DO IT IF
WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE WEREN'T
IN COMPETITION WHILE WE'RE
SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANT THE
COMPETITION, THE COMPETITION IS
THERE.
IT'S VERY EVIDENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL
EVER GET ON THE SAME PAGE.
>> I'M HEARING A LOT ABOUT BEST
PRACTICES AND STANDARDS HERE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION OF
CLARANCE ABOUT STANDARDS.
>> HOW DOES THE DEPARTMENTOF
EDUCATION, SHARING THE DATA
WITH THE REST OF THE LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SCHOOLS?
>> I'M -- I AM A SUPERINTENDENT
OF A TRADITIONAL SYSTEM, AS I
POINTED OUT.
AND WE ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN
WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S WHY I -- MY BELIEF
IS THAT WHEN YOU HIRE LEADERS
WITHIN A DISTRICT, THOSE
LEADERS SHOULD TAKE THE
INITIATIVE AND MAKE GREAT
THINGS HAPPEN.
THEY NEED TO DO THEIR RESEARCH.
THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE BEST
PRACTICES, AND I, AS A BESSY
MEMBER, ALSO TELL
SUPERINTENDENT WHITE AT THE
MEETINGS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE
THAT HE IS DOING ENOUGH AS OUR
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF
EDUCATION TO SUPPORT OUR
TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS.
THE FOCUS IS ON CHARTERS.
AND I FEEL THAT HE IS
NEGLECTING IN THAT SENSE, AND I
FEEL THAT WE NEED
INDIVIDUALS -- INDIVIDUALS
WOULD AGREE WITH ME.
>> THE WHOLE MONEY ISSUE THAT
IS INVOLVED AND COMPANIES
COMING IN AND SETTING UP
SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, IS
THAT A REAL CONCERN THAT IT IS
A MONEY-MAKING VENTURE FOR A
LOT OF THE COMPANIES AND HOW
DOES THAT FACTOR INTO THE REAL
EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS?
>> THE -- MANY OF THE CHARTER
SCHOOLS ARE RUN, EVEN IF
THEY'RE NONPROFITS, THEY'RE
ACTUALLY RUN BY A PROFIT-MAKING
ORGANIZATION.
THE EDISON COMPANY THAT HANDLED
THE CAPITAL SCHOOL -- DON'T
ASSUME THAT IF IT SAYS
NONPROFIT THAT IT IS REALLY
NONPROFIT.
THEY CAN MILK THE CITY FOR HOW
MUCH MONEY THEY CAN MAKE BY
HIRING THE LEAST EXPENSIVE
TEACHERS.
ANOTHER THING THEY DO WHICH I
THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE AGAINST,
THEY'RE EXEMPTED FROM BEING
PART OF THE TEACHER RETIREMENT
SYSTEM.
LEGISLATURE ASSESSES A SPECIAL
ASSESSMENT TO ALL LOCAL SCHOOL
SYSTEMS TO PAY FOR THE UNFUNDED
LIABILITY OF THE TEACHERS
RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
WHEN THE SCHOOL IS ALLOWED TO
ESCAPE THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM,
THEY ARE SAVING AT LEAST 20% OF
THE COST OF THE SALARIES BY
SHORT-CHANGING THE LOUISIANA
SYSTEM.
THAT'S A BIG MISTAKE.
AND IT JUST PUTS A BIGGER AND
BIGGER BURDEN ON THE REST OF
THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS.
>> IN TERMS OF RETIREMENT, 120
CHARTER SCHOOLS CURRENTLY IN
THE STATE.
OVER HALF OF THEM BELONG TO THE
TRSL SYSTEM AND THE ONES THAT
DON'T PROVIDE A DIFFERENT
RETIREMENT PLAN FOR THEIR
TEACHERS --
>> I THINK THE POINT HE'S
MAKING IS IT IS OPTIONAL.
>> THE UAL THAT MIKE IS TALKING
ABOUT IS HUGE AND IT IS A BIG
PROBLEM FOR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS
AND SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN -- BUT
THE REASON WHY IT SITS AT
$18.3 --
>> UAL.
>> UNFUNDED ACCRUED
LIABILITY -- IS BECAUSE IT WAS
MISMANAGED.
THERE IS A LEGISLATIVE
AUDITOR'S REPORT THAT TALKS
ABOUT OVER THE YEARS IT WAS
MISMANAGED.
IF YOU PUT IN ALL OF THE
SCHOOLS THAT AREN'T IN TRSL
INTO IT, YOU GENERATE OF TO $10
MILLION.
THAT IS 1-500th OF THE UAL.
I AGREE WITH MIKE IN THE SENSE
THAT IT IS A BIG PROBLEM, BUT
IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF CHARTERS.
IT IS AN ISSUE THAT WE AS A
STATE, WE AS A PEOPLE IN
LOUISIANA NEED TO ENCOURAGE OUR
LEGISLATORS TO HELP US FIGURE
OUT HOW IT'S FIXED.
>> CHRIS, DO YOU WANT TO --
>> I THINK THAT POINT
EXACTLY -- THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
INNOVATIONS THAT WE COULD
ACTUALLY LEARN FROM FROM
PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHARTER
SCHOOLS AND OTHERS.
OUR DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN ASKING
FOR RELIEF ON THIS.
WHY IS IT FORCED ON EVERYONE TO
BE IN A SYSTEM TO PROMISE 100%
OF SALARY FOR MORE YEARS THAN
YOU SPEND IN THE CLASSROOM?
I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN UPSIDE
DOWN IN THAT WORK AND IT IS
PUTTING A BURDEN -- SCHOOLS
COMPETING FOR STUDENTS, THE
DEBATE EVOLVES BACK INTO A
QUESTION OF MONEY.
GOING BACK TO THE CORE -- WE
SHOULD HAVE OUR SCHOOLS
COMPETING FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS.
THAT HAPPENS AT THE COLLEGE AND
UNIVERSITY LEVEL.
WHY IS IT NOT HAPPENING IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS -- ACHIEVEMENT
ZONE -- WHY AREN'T WE GOING IN
THERE AND SAYING WE WANT YOUR
CHILD TO HAVE THE BEST
OPPORTUNITY.
HERE IS WHAT THIS PROGRAM
OFFERS.
AND HERE IS WHAT THIS ONE
OFFERS AND ALLOWING THE
OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE SO
LONG AS WE MAKE SURE THAT
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FOCUS ON,
AGAIN, OUTCOMES.
GOVERNMENT SHOULD MANAGE TO THE
OUTCOMES AND ACCOUNTABILITY,
NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE
FRONT END OR DAY-TO-DAY IN
SCHOOLS --
>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS
AND WHETHER THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
ATTRACTS BUSINESS AND NEW
PEOPLE TO THE STATE.
PATTY HAS A QUESTION ALONG
THOSE LINES.
>> YES, RIGHT.
AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION IS DO
YOU THINK THAT HAVING THE
OPTION OF HAVING CHARTER
SCHOOLS HERE AND DIFFERENT
TYPES OF SCHOOLS THROUGH THE
CHARTERS IS ATTRACTIVE TO
BUSINESSES COMING INTO
LOUISIANA?
>> I MEAN, TO MY ORGANIZATION,
SCHOOLS FOR BATON ROUGE,
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON
RECRUITING ORGANIZATIONS
LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY WITH
EXCEPTIONAL TRACK RECORDS AND
ASKING THEM TO DO MORE.
DO ANOTHER SCHOOL.
I THINK ANY BUSINESS ASKS ABOUT
THAT.
IN FACT, PARTNERSHIPS WITH
LOCAL BUSINESSES AND
INDUSTRIES, WE HEAR IT ALL OF
THE TIME.
FOLKS SAYING WE DON'T SEE A
GREAT OPTION IN THE PUBLIC
SYSTEM SO THAT WE HAVE TO PAY
OUR WORKERS MORE TO STAY WITH
US SO THEY CAN AFFORD THE
PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION.
I THINK BECAUSE OF -- INVESTING
A LOT OF DOLLARS IN SCHOOLS IN
LOUISIANA.
OVER $8 BILLION ANNUALLY IS
SPENT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION AND
CONSISTENTLY, THE LAST 20
YEARS, RESULTS HAVE BASICALLY
BEEN FLAT.
I THINK AT SOME POINT WE HAVE
TO START ASKING OURSELVES WHAT
ARE WE DOING DIFFERENTLY.
IT IS GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US.
IT CAN'T JUST BE A CHARTER,
TRADITIONAL OR PRIVATE
SOLUTION.
IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
DON'T FIX, I DON'T THINK WE
WILL SEE THE WINS WE HAVE SEEN
RECENTLY --
>> DOCTOR, I WANT TO GET YOUR
TAKE ON THAT.
YOU SAID IT CAN'T BE A PUBLIC,
CHARTER OR PRIVATE SCHOOL
SOLUTION.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE SOLUTION
HAS MANY DIFFERENT TIERS TO IT?
>> ONCE AGAIN, I THINK THE
CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE A ROLE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO AN
EXPERIENCE JUST RECENTLY IN A
NEIGHBORING DISTRICT.
THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR A TYPE
ONE CHARTER, AND THE COMMUNITY,
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY GOT
INVOLVED, BUT -- AND THEN IT
WAS BASED, NOT BECAUSE THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS FAILING,
BUT BECAUSE OF ATTEMPTS TO PASS
A BOND, TAXPAYERS DIDN'T
SUPPORT IT, AND SO THEN THERE
IS A LACK OF -- THERE IS A LACK
OF FACILITY SPACE, AND SO THE
GROUP THAT CAME IN, THE CHARTER
GROUP, INSTEAD OF BUILDING THE
FACILITIES IN AN AREA THAT IS
MOST AT RISK, THEY WERE PUTTING
THE FACILITY IN A MOST
PROMINENT AREA, WHICH IT WOULD
NOT CATER TO THE STUDENTS MOST
IN NEED, BUT TO THE MORE
AFFLUENT POPULATION, AND THAT'S
A BIG CONCERN I HAVE.
I MEAN, LET'S PUT THE FACTS ON
THE TABLE.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, AS I
SEE THE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO PLAY
A ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE MOST
AT-RISK POPULATION, BUT THAT,
YOU KNOW, AND THE EXPERIENCES
THAT I'VE HAD WITH CHARTER
OPERATORS, THE INTENT AS I SEE
IT, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO SECURE
THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE MOST
LIKELY TO SUCCEED.
>> UH-HMM, YEAH, VERY
INTERESTING.
>> YES.
>> MY QUESTION WOULD BE, YOU
TALKED ABOUT THE THREE-YEAR
GRADING SYSTEM, AND IF I WERE
OPERATING A CHARTER SCHOOL AND
IN THREE YEARS I WAS EXPECTED
TO MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS,
MY -- IF I HAD A FAILING
SCHOOL, I MIGHT BE MORE PRONE
TO -- FAILING GRADE, SOME
KIDS -- I MIGHT BE MORE PRONE
TO TAKE THE KIDS ABOVE TO HAVE
A BETTER CHANCE OF PASSING THAT
REQUIREMENT.
AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT IS IN
PLACE TO PREVENT -- ONE GREAT
THING ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION, A
PROMISE TO CALL KIDS TO HAVE
THAT EDUCATION.
WHAT IS TO PREVENT A CHARTER
SCHOOL FROM JUST TAKING THE
TOP?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IF YOU THOUGHT OF GOVERNMENT
WORKING MORE AS A REGULATOR OF
OUTCOMES.
CERTAIN FAIR RULES OF A GAME.
CERTAIN RULES EVERYONE KNOWS TO
PLAY BY AND YOU WORK AS HARD AS
YOU CAN TO HAVE A COMPETITIVE
TEAM TO WIN ON A FIELD.
IN NEW ORLEANS, RECOGNIZING
THAT MOST OF THE SCHOOLS WERE
CHARTERS AND HAD INDEPENDENT
LOTTERIES, YOU KNOW, THERE
COULD BE EXAMPLES, THERE COULD
BE TIMES THAT FOLKS WOULD
MANEUVER THE SYSTEM.
GOVERNMENT SAID IT ACTUALLY
MAKES SENSE TO WORK WITH
ORLEANS SCHOOL DISTRICT,
PRIVATE SCHOOLS, CHARTER
SCHOOLS AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE
TO HAVE ONE COMMON ENROLLMENT
SYSTEM WHERE PARENTS COULD
EXERCISE CHOICE AT ANY SCHOOL.
AS A PARENT, IT DIDN'T MATTER
IF THE FIRST CHOICE WAS A --
YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE BASED ON
WHAT YOU THOUGHT THE QUALITY
WAS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF
THOSE, PARENTS HAVE
OVERWHELMINGLY FAVORED THE
SCHOOLS WITH HIGHER GROWTH AND
HIGHER PERFORMANCE LEVELS.
PARENTS ALREADY -- TRYING TO
GET INTO THE SCHOOLS WITH THE
BEST RESULTS.
IN THIS CASE, GOVERNMENT COULD
ACT AS THE -- LET'S MAKE SURE
THAT EVERY KID HAS FAIR ACCESS.
I AGREE, I THINK THAT IS A
PROPER ROLE THAT GOVERNMENT CAN
PLAY WITHOUT MANAGING THE
DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE
SCHOOL.
>> I DON'T THINK THE GOVERNMENT
IS DOING THEIR JOB ON THAT.
I THINK IT IS AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION TO ASK.
WILL THEY TRY TO REMOVE THE
STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT
PERFORMING?
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE
SELECTIVE DISMISSALS OUTS OF
THE SCHOOL.
WE KNOW THERE ARE CHILDREN
BEING COUNCILED OUT OF THE
SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
PERFORMING.
DISCIPLINE POLICIES IN MANY OF
THE CHARTER SCHOOLS IS A WAY OF
REMOVING KIDS THAT ARE NOT
PERFORMING.
USUALLY THE KIDS THAT ARE NOT
PERFORMING WELL OR DISCIPLINE
PROBLEMS.
ALL OF THE SUDDEN YOU HAVE A
SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY, THE
CHARTER SCHOOL LOOKS GREAT
BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
CULL OUT SOME OF OF THE
STUDENTS.
>> I HAVE TO BRING YOU IN ON
THIS.
YOU WERE ADAMANT EARLIER WHEN
YOU SAID THAT THE CHARTER
SCHOOLS WERE NOT SELECTIVE.
WE HAVE HEARD THAT IN FACT THEY
ARE.
MIKE YOU JUST SAID THAT WE KNOW
THIS, THAT THEY ARE.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO WHAT
YOU'RE HEARING?
>> I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THE
CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT I'M AWARE
OF IN NEW ORLEANS, FOLLOWING
THE PROCESS THAT CALL KIDS IN
NEW ORLEANS RECEIVE THE QUALITY
EDUCATION.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST
MISCONCEPTIONS, WE ARE ACTING
LIKE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN
LOUISIANA IS WORKING.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE
SCORE OF OUR KIDS, AND LOOK AT
OUR NATIONAL RANKING, ALL OF
OUR KIDS ARE AT RISK.
ALL OF OUR KIDS ARE AT RISK OF
NOT SUCCEEDING.
SOMETHING HAD TO HAPPEN.
EVERY PARENT ACTIVELY WALKING
WITH THEIR FEET TO DECIDE ON
WHICH SCHOOL TO SEND THEIR
CHILD TO AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED
IN THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEIR CHILD IS RECEIVING A
QUALITY EDUCATION.
I BELIEVE ALL KIDS IN LOUISIANA
ARE AT RISK AND I BELIEVE
CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PROVIDING
ALL OF THE KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO HAVE SUCCESS.
IN NEW ORLEANS, WE ARE NOT
SELECTIVE.
THE KIDS AND FAMILIES ARE
ACTIVELY GETTING INVOLVED IN
THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM TO BE
PROACTIVE, TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEIR KIDS ACTUALLY HAVE A
CHANCE TO SUCCEED.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> AND JUST TO RESPOND TO YOUR
COMMENTS, IN FACT, I HAVE
VISITED NEW ORLEANS AND I HAVE
DISCUSSED WITH PARENTS OF THOSE
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A MISSION
FOCUS, AND MY OPINION, THAT IF
SELECTED ADMISSIONS -- ONE OF
THE SUPPORTERS OF A CHARTER
SCHOOL THERE WITH THE MISSION
FOCUS INDICATED THAT AS PART OF
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, THEY
SEEK OUT LEADERS.
AND I HAD THE SAME PROGRAM IN
ONE OF MY SCHOOLS IN ST. MARTIN
PARISH, AND THE GENTLEMAN TOLD
ME HE WAS LOOKING FOR LEADERS.
WELL, MY TEACHER IS NOT
AFFORDED TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DISMISS STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT
THE LEADERS HE HAS IDENTIFIED.
SO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY
THERE IS NO SELECTIVE
ADMISSION, BUT WE KNOW BETTER.
>> YOU TALK ABOUT PARENTS.
YOU KNOW, POUNDING THE
PAVEMENT, LOOKING FOR THE BEST
OPTION FOR THEIR KIDS, IT JUST
SEEMS LIKE IT IS SO CONFUSING.
HOW DO PARENTS REALLY NAVIGATE
THE SCHOOL, THE OPTIONS THAT
THEY DO HAVE?
IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE
OVERWHELMING FOR PARENTS AND
THEY REALLY DO NEED TO BE
PROACTIVE.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PARENTS TO
HELP THEM FIGURE THIS ALL OUT?
>> SURE.
I WILL TAKE THAT QUESTION AND
ALSO TO CLARIFY, THERE ARE 120
CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA.
60 TYPE FIVE CHARTER SCHOOLS,
OPEN ENROLLMENT AND THEY CAN'T
HAVE SELECTIVE CRITERIA.
I WANT TO BE SURE THAT PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THAT IN NEW ORLEANS,
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF
CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ABSOLUTELY
OPEN ENROLLMENT AND THEY ARE
NOT CHOOSING WHO COMES IN AND
WHO LEAVES.
IN TERMS OF THE SYSTEM THOUGH,
I DO AGREE IT CAN BE CONFUSING.
THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.
IN THE FUTURE, THERE COULD BE
SEVEN.
THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL ONES
ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW.
AND THERE ARE -- THERE ARE
RESOURCES FOR THOSE PARENTS.
CHARTER SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, LA
SCHOOL FINDER, WHICH IS SORT OF
LIKE CAR FACTS IF YOU HAVE
OTHER LOOKED FOR A CAR ONLINE.
THE SCHOOL FINDER IS LIKE THAT.
YOU PUT IN INFORMATION FOR WHAT
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND IT SHOWS
YOU VARIOUS DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
ALSO, IN NEW ORLEANS,
SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS A PARENT
GUIDE THAT COMES OUT THAT HELPS
PARENTS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
IN GENERAL, I THINK THAT IS A
FAIR STATEMENT THAT IT CAN BE A
LITTLE OVERWHELMING.
>> OKAY.
I'M SORRY, MIKE, DID YOU WANT
TO GET IN THERE?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE THE
PARENTS TRY TO DECIDE WHAT
SCHOOL THEIR CHILD SHOULD
ATTEND UNLESS IT IS A VERY
SPECIFIC THING IF THERE IS A
SCHOOL OFFERING A TECHNICAL
PROGRAM AND THEIR CHILD WANTS
TO BE A WELDER OR A TECHNICIAN
OF SOME TYPE, MAYBE A COMPUTER
PROGRAMMER, CERTAINLY THAT
WOULD BE THE SCHOOL THAT YOU
COULD CHOOSE.
SO, BUT MOST SCHOOLS, WHAT WE
NEED TO HAVE IN LOUISIANA IS TO
HAVE EVERY SCHOOL THAT HAS
EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE A BROAD
PROGRAM OFFERED TO ALL CHILDREN
SO THAT NO MATTER WHAT CHILD
COMES TO THAT SCHOOL, HE OR SHE
WILL GET A GOOD EDUCATION.
WE NEED TO PUT OUR PARENTS'
MINDS TO REST BY MAKING SURE
THAT ALL SCHOOLS ARE GOOD.
>> YES.
>> I VISITED A SCHOOL TODAY,
AND IT'S IDENTIFIED, LABELED A
C.
MY GRANDSON ATTENDS THAT
SCHOOL.
AND I SAW SOME VERY EXEMPLARY
TEACHING TODAY, AND BY BESSY'S
DEFINITION, A C IS FAILURE.
OUR GOVERNOR WAS ON NATIONAL
NEWS, POINTING OUT THAT
ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM
HAD SIX STUDENTS WHO WERE
AFFORDED A VOUCHER BECAUSE THEY
WERE ATTENDING AN F SCHOOL.
WELL, THE SCHOOL IS NOT AN F
SCHOOL.
BUT BY BESSY'S DEFINITION, IT
IS A FAILING SCHOOL.
WHEN I GREW UP, WHEN I WENT
THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL
PROGRAM.
A C WAS AVERAGE.
TODAY I SIT WITH A DOCTORATE,
AND, AGAIN, I MADE A FEW C'S IN
MY LIFE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M A
FAILURE.
I THINK WORK ETHIC IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
OUR STUDENTS NEED THOSE WORK
ETHICS.
THAT NEEDS TO BE INSTILLED
WITHIN THEM.
WE NEED THE QUALITY TEACHERS
AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
OFTEN WE HEAR OF VARIED
COUNTRIES AND HOW EXCELLENT
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THEY HAVE,
BUT THEY PROVIDE THE
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR THEIR
TEACHERS, JOB EMBEDDED DURING
THE DAY, AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN
WHEN WE HOLD UP THESE OTHER
COUNTRIES, WE NEED TO INFORM
THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE DOING
THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND PERHAPS
IF WE FOLLOW THEIR LEAD, WE
COULD DO A BETTER JOB AT WHAT
WE DO.
>> LET'S BRING IN AUDIENCE
MEMBERS.
YOUR QUESTION.
>> MY QUESTION WAS WHAT IS THE
DEMAND FOR ENROLLMENT?
HOW MANY STUDENTS ENROLL AND
ARE NOT ABLE TO GET INTO A
CHARTER SCHOOL AND ULTIMATELY
WHAT DO THEY DO?
>> CHRIS, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE
THAT?
>> YEAH, SO IN NEW ORLEANS, YOU
HAD WAIT LIST, YOU KNOW, WHEN
THERE WAS INDIVIDUAL -- WAIT
LISTS IN THE HUNDREDS.
FAMILIES WANTED TO GO THERE.
MOST RECENT APPLICATIONS,
EVERYONE CAN PUT UP TO EIGHT
CHOICES WHERE THEY WANT TO DO.
YOU SEE A TREND OF THE HIGHER
PERFORMING SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS
GROWING MORE ACADEMICALLY ARE
THE ONES GETTING MORE AND MORE
PARENTS SAYING WE WANT TO GO TO
THAT SCHOOL.
WE MAY BE SELLING PARENTS A
LITTLE SHORT BY NOT SAYING THEY
CAN NAVIGATE THIS AND WE FIGURE
OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE A LOT OF
CHOICES IN OUR LIFE.
WHAT YOU SEE FOR NEW ORLEANS,
GO IN FOR A SCHOOL SEARCH -- IT
LOOKS LIKE ELECTION DAYS.
OUR SCHOOL DOES THIS.
HERE IS OUR TEST SCORES.
YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE
PEOPLE -- MY KID GOES TO THE
FASTEST GROWING SCHOOLS IN ALL
OF LOUISIANA.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT PARENTS
RALLY AROUND AND THEY FIGURE
OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE.
>> WHAT IS GOING ON IN NEW
ORLEANS?
IS THAT ALL BEING REPLICATED IN
OTHER PARISHES WHERE THERE ARE
CHARTER SCHOOLS --
>> BATON ROUGE, IN BATON ROUGE,
IT IS JUST THE OPPOSITE.
INSTEAD OF STUDENTS FLOCKING TO
THE NINE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN
BATON ROUGE, THEY HAVE BEEN
LEAVING THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND
THE ENROLLMENT DROPPED TO LESS
THAN HALF OF WHAT IT STARTED
OFF BEING.
I GUESS IF YOU HAD A SYSTEM
THAT IS ALMOST 100% CHARTER
SCHOOLS, CERTAINLY YOU ARE
GOING TO HAVE COMPETITION TO
WHERE -- WHICH CHARTER SCHOOLS
DO I WANT TO ATTEND.
IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA, IT IS
JUST THE OPPOSITE.
CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAY
OR PARENTS HAVE SAID I THINK I
WOULD RATHER STAY WITH THE
TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS IN MANY
CASES.
>> YOUR QUESTION.
>> ACTUALLY -- ACTUALLY TOUCHED
ON MY QUESTION, AND VERONICA
ACTUALLY ANSWERED THE QUESTION.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM
THE OTHER PANELISTS ON DO
TEACHERS IN THE CHARTER
SCHOOLS, DO THEY HAVE TO BE
CERTIFIED?
AND IF NOT, WHY IS IT FLIP-FLOP
FROM CHARTERS AND IT'S NOT IN
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE
TO DO --
>> YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK A
LEGISLATOR THAT, PART OF THE
LEGISLATION PASSED IN 2012.
AND I QUESTION THAT DAILY.
AS A SUPERINTENDENT AND A
FORMER PERSONNEL DIRECTOR, I
HAD TO SEEK CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
AND I CERTAINLY ADVOCATE
CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN THE
CLASSROOM, BECAUSE THEY MEET
THAT STANDARD.
I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE IF I GO TO
A SURGEON, I WANT TO BE SURE
THAT THAT SURGEON IS
CREDENTIALED.
AND I BELIEVE OUR TEACHERS NEED
TO HAVE THAT TEACHER
CERTIFICATION, AND CRITICS WHO
SAY I AGREE OFTENTIMES YOU WILL
FIND -- AN INEQUALITY.
THEY ARE NATURAL-BORN TEACHERS,
BUT I BELIEVE THE STANDARDS
SHOULD BE MET AND IT WAS
THROUGH LEGISLATION, HOWEVER,
IN POLICY, IT SAYS THAT PUBLIC
SCHOOLTEACHERS SHOULD POSSESS A
CERTIFICATION, BUT, AGAIN, THE
LEGISLATURE IN 2012, INDICATED
THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUIREMENT.
>> WE ARE RUNNING VERY, VERY
SHORT ON TIME.
CHRIS YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WANTED
TO --
>> WELL QUICKLY, THERE IS A LOT
OF SURGEONS AROUND THE WORLD,
BUT WHEN YOU NEEDED THE HEALTH
CARE, YOU COME TO THE UNITED
STATES BECAUSE YOU ARE LOOKING
FOR SPECIFIC SKILL SETS AND
PEOPLE.
CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE A PRESSURE
BECAUSE OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY
STANDARDS, IF THEY DON'T
PRODUCE RESULTS AND DON'T BUILD
THE BEST TEAM TO HELP THEM
PRODUCE RESULTS, THEY WILL BE
PUT OUT OF BUSINESS.
THAT IS THE APPROPRIATE
PLACE --
>> THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTE STEP
BACKWARDS TO REMOVE THE
REQUIREMENT FOR CERTIFICATION.
>> WE ARE GOING TO LET THAT BE
THE LAST WORD.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME FOR OUR
Q AND A SEGMENT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF
OUR PANELISTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
WHEN WE COME BACK, WE WILL HAVE
A FEW CLOSING COMMENTS.
>> SHAUNA, CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE
CERTAINLY A BIG TOPIC IN NEW
ORLEANS, BATON ROUGE, I SEE
THIS CONVERSATION SPREADING
ACROSS THE STATE FOR ALL OF OUR
VIEWERS AROUND LOUISIANA.
I THINK IT HAS BEEN VERY
THOUGHTFUL AND A LOT OF
QUESTIONS THAT STILL NEED
FURTHER FLUSHING OUT.
>> AND VERY COLLABORATIVE.
WE WANTED THIS TO BE A
COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT CAME
OUT FOR ME IS THAT IT SEEMS TO
BE A CONSENSUS AMONG AUDIENCE
MEMBERS AND PANELISTS, IT IS
NOT TRADITIONAL VERSUS
CHARTERS.
CHARTERS ARE HERE AND HERE TO
STAY AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A
PLACE FOR ALL OF THEM.
>> WE DIDN'T GET INTO ALL OF
THE VIRTUAL, ONLINE THINGS THAT
YOU TALK ABOUT.
>> CONSTANT CONVERSATION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THAT IS ALL OF THE TIME WE
HAVE FOR THIS EDITION OF
"LOUISIANA PUBLIC SQUARE."
VISIT OUR WEB SITE.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
AS WE DID FROM VIEWERS
FOLLOWING LAST MONTH'S PROGRAM,
GAY IN LOUISIANA.
SCOTT WRITES I WAS DENIED
EMPLOYMENT IN THE HOUSING
DEPARTMENT OF A MAJOR TEXAS
UNIVERSITY BASED ON THE
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF MY
SUPERVISOR.
HIS RELIGION TOLD HIM GOING GAY
WAS UNACCEPTABLE.
MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WOULD NOT
BE CONSIDERED.
YUSEF WRITES THE WORD GAY MEANS
HAPPY AND --
>> AND JOHN WRITES, THANK YOU
LPB FOR PRODUCING PUBLIC
SQUARE, A PROGRAM THAT
LOUISIANANS ARE FORTUNATE TO
HAVE.
IT FOSTERS INLIGHTENING
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TONIGHT'S
TOPIC AND OTHERS.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR
COMMENTS.
>>> UNDER MANDATORY DRUG
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>> THAT SHOULD BE INTERESTING.
>> VERY INTERESTING.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE.
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