The ACT scores for Louisiana are in, and Mercedes Schneider reports that the news for the New Orleans charter district is not good.
We continue to hear reformers boast about the New Orleans “miracle,” but the evidence is non-existent. It is just recycling of stale propaganda for privatization. It has been 12 years since Hurricane Katrina wiped out large swaths of the city, along with the public school system. Had there been a dramatic improvement as a result of the switch to private charter schools, there wouldn’t be any controversy about it.
The new ACT scores show how unimpressive the charter district is.
Schneider says that, “In order for a high school graduate to gain unconditional admission to Louisiana State University (LSU), she/he must have an ACT composite score of 22.”
As you will see in her post, there are 13 high schools in the Recovery School District. None reached a score of 19. Only three cracked 18.
Schneider says that Dtate Superintebdent John White masked the low ACT scores by combining the high schools of the RSD with those of the higher-performing Orleans Parish School Board.
Don’t expect to read about this in any of the media that have invested in the miracle narrative.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“None reached a score of 19. Only three cracked 18…” This is utterly depressing!
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I will never understand why billionaires and their politicians assumed that schools without teachers unions would have a positive effect on “outcomes”. Just plain dumb. It was like assuming that professional sports teams without players unions would beat teams that took better care of their players. Utter nonsense.
Hubris.
Hubris is correct…plus GREED and power.
Thank you, DFERS. Now we have DeVoodoo.
All reformer call-outs should name names. John White, the face of privilege, who is running Louisiana’s schools, appears to have been selected through a system that rejects equal opportunity. White’s Chiefs for Change couldn’t exist without the conditions that Bill and Melinda Gates, Eli Broad, Fordham Institute, Walton heirs, etc. set in place.