“An airplane being built while 20,000 feet in the air.”
“A silver lining to a dark cloud.”
“One of the most massive experiments in urban education ever conducted.”
Each of these analogies has been used to describe the state of public schools in post-Katrina New Orleans. As the city rebuilds itself following the devastation of the storm, many see the schools as a bastion of hope, a way of bringing families and communities back for good. In the words of the Louisiana State Superintendent of Schools, Paul Pastorek, “If you build it, they will come.”
However, the problems with New Orleans’ public schools date back long before Katrina. School buildings were old and falling apart, corruption plagued the system, and students performed poorly on state tests, with proficiency in math and reading hovering at or below 30%. “Before the storm, the city of New Orleans public schools was academically bankrupt, it was financially bankrupt and it was facilities bankrupt,” says Pastorek. “And that is why so quickly after the storm, the state made the decision to take over the schools as rapidly as it did.”
Prior to the storm the state had formed the Recovery School District to take over five failing schools in New Orleans, but after Katrina hit on August 28, 2005, Louisiana took the opportunity to extend its reach to include an additional 107 of the city’s public schools. With 100 schools flooded, facilities repairs became a major concern, but the problems ran the gamut, down to the smallest details. “Everything had to be replaced, every pencil, every piece of paper, every desk, every book,” says former RSD Superintendent Robin Jarvis. And for the students returning to the city, the transition was difficult. Steve Ritea, former education reporter for the Times Picayune recalls, “You have students who have lost everything to the storm, some of whom are living in the city without their parents. And so they're very angry, as well, so there is a lot of violence at some schools, with several security guards and at least one teacher I know of being put in the hospital.”
Katrina-related problems lasted well into the 2006-07 school year. The buildings themselves were still in disrepair and there was a shortage of teachers and often of supplies. Schools lacked working bathrooms and hot lunches, and there were reports of rats running rampant in classrooms. Rabouin High School social studies teacher, Amanda Sias says it was chaos. “I mean this school could have did their own reality show last year.”
After Robin Jarvis announced her resignation, the name Paul Vallas, renowned “turnaround superintendent” began being whispered as her replacement. He was officially appointed in July 2007. Although he is credited with raising test scores in his previous positions in Chicago and Philadelphia, his reputation is not without controversy. In both cities there were complaints about his handling of the budgets, relationships with teachers and school administrators, and general lack of follow-through on ambitious initiatives. Although the Recovery School District is much smaller than either of his previous charges, Vallas also faced the difficult task of coming in to a city that is often wary of outsiders. Paul Pastorek admits, “This community sort of treats outsiders like antibodies and rejects them at will.” Vallas’ public acknowledgement that he might only stay for two years added to the skepticism about his commitment to the school system.
Paul Vallas’ first year in New Orleans got off to a rocky start. There were district wide scheduling problems, lingering student absenteeism, inconsistencies with the bus system, and complaints about the usefulness of signature programs like the distribution of free laptops to all high school students. Benchmark testing revealed his biggest challenge: 85% of students in the district performing below grade level.
Paul Vallas remains optimistic about his chances for success. With his family still in Chicago, he is working around the clock. He knows the city expects a lot of him, and he plans to deliver. Vallas says, “Within two years if this district has not significantly improved, if I have not achieved 90% of what I’ve promised then, you know, by right, they should put me on the Amtrak and send me back home to Chicago.”
