The Perceptions of New Orleans Educators on the Process of Rebuilding the New Orleans School System after Katrina

No Excuses or No Equity?: Narrative and Counternarrative Themes within Educational Discourse in New Orleans

“…31 Other texts referenced the "immediate reaction of many New Orleanians" as believing "the literal washing away of the poorly functioning system would allow for a rebirth of a system that had tarnished the city's reputation for decades." 32 While student test data in the pre-Katrina New Orleans public schools lagged behind state and national averages, their categorization as "failing" was not simply an objective fact but a subtle political and legislative framing. In the wake of the hurricane the Louisiana state legislature immediately passed Act 35, which allowed 107 out of 128 public schools to be deemed failing and folded into RSD.…”

Examining the Aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans: A Qualitative Study of Faculty and Staff Perceptions

“…Other studies confirmed that educators in New Orleans faced difficult issues in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina [15]. There were feelings of “uncertainty” across many schools [15, page 219], as well as the “coexistence of hope and cynicism about the chances for meaningful change” in the schools [15, page 213].…”

“…There were feelings of “uncertainty” across many schools [15, page 219], as well as the “coexistence of hope and cynicism about the chances for meaningful change” in the schools [15, page 213]. Many teachers were also forced to move to new school districts when student enrollment declined after Hurricane Katrina [6].…”

“…A number of studies have shown the effects of Hurricane Katrina on faculty and staff in schools in Mississippi and Louisiana [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 11 , 13 , 15 ], with the primary research focused on teachers rather than staff members or other faculty (e.g., librarians, school counselors). Therefore, the background for the current study draws from the empirical research examining the aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina reported by K-12 teachers.…”

Defining Pre-Katrina New Orleans: The Structural Transformation of Public Education in New Orleans and Historical Memory

“…This transformation of public education and school governance has been seen as cause for hope and celebration for the future of American education by some education researchers, activists, policymakers and teachers and, at the same time, as cause for dismay, concern and staunch criticism by others (Kirylo, 2005;Hartman & Squires, 2006;Hill & Hannaway, 2006;Beabout et al, 2008;Mirón, 2008;Levin et al, 2010;Buras, 2011;Brinson et al, 2011;Osborne, 2012;Sondel, 2013). These discussions revolve around many of the issues that define educational reform in other cities as well: the proliferation of charter schools, changes in teacher recruitment and evaluation, and the opening and closing of schools.…”