Our frequent contributor Mercedes Schneider sent the following news in response to a post about Bobby Jindal selling the New Orleans miracle in Virginia:
From Mary K. Bellisario, VP of St. Tammany Parish School Board (Louisiana) :
The Associated Press at least printed some of the truth about the RSD:
“However, New Orleans schools run by the Recovery School District still have a D grade on average while those outside of New Orleans received an F in the latest round of grades released in October.”
They didn’t print what the School Performance Score (SPS) for the RSD is, or how many schools in the RSD aren’t even reporting their scores because they’re in the re-chartering process due to academic failure. They don’t have to report for three years. This could take that RSD average even lower.
Too bad the AP didn’t go further and print that the RSD — in N.O. and in other parts of the state — still ranks last out of 70 school districts in our state, where they have ranked for the past seven years. This would have put Jindal’s remarks more in perspective.
Last year’s stats show that out of 70 districts only two–the RSD run by BESE, and St. Helena partially run by BESE–were actually “failing” districts. Their reported SPS’s didn’t reach the passing grade.
Last year every other school district in the state — run by locally elected school boards, not BESE — was above “failing.”
But Virginia and other states will not be told that.
Diane, thank you for publicizing this comment nationally. Bobby Jindal is trying his best to build a national platform in order to run for president in 2016, and that platform is built upon lie after lie regarding his “success” as governor of Louisiana. We in Louisiana know the truth; in fact, Jindal’s popularity at home continues to slip:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/02/jindal_approval_ratings_dip_be.html
I made it with minutes to spare.
Sent from my iPhone
Why are we talking about New Orleans’ school accountability grades as if they mean anything? See https://dianeravitch.net/2012/07/22/school-letter-grades-are-preposterous/
I think the reason has to do with the fact that those letter grades are being used to convince other states that our governor has somehow miraculously “fixed” failing schools when the facts do not support the claims. You are correct that the grades are meaningless, that is why it is so important to tell the truth about what is happening here in Louisiana. We can’t let them use the lies to “fix” other states.
Jindal is to LA public schools as _______________ was to Washington DC public schools. (and about as dishonest, also)
Isn’t that interesting, the facts I mean.