“If you have any inclination whatsoever toward teaching, come down and do it here. The opportunity for growth, both with and for your kids, as well as for the city, is limitless. We are in a renaissance and the most important part of it is educating the next generations. It’s challenging, rewarding work.”

-2006 teachNOLA Teacher

 

Teaching in a New Orleans Public School

teachNOLA teachers will teach in one of the 41 charter schools or 31 RSD traditional schools where the need for highly qualified teachers is most severe.  Teachers should expect to teach students with various levels of academic achievement, many of whom are still struggling with the pain and confusion wrought by Katrina. While the first year in a new school for any teacher is difficult, the unique circumstances in New Orleans mean teachNOLA teachers need to be particularly prepared for challenges upon entering the classroom. A willingness to be flexible, along with a commitment to overcoming obstacles, is essential.

 

A Typical Day

Teacher schedules will vary from building to building, but teachers can generally expect to work an eight-hour school day. Beyond the formal school day, teachers should expect to spend time out of class preparing lessons, grading student work, and communicating with parents and guardians.

 

Class Sizes

The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) limits class sizes to no more than 26 students per teacher in grades K-3 and 33 students per teacher in grades 4-12.1 Most schools have indicated a commitment to small class size, recognizing that this can influence teacher effectiveness. However, due to the frequent changes in student enrollment and teaching staff, it is not possible to accurately report class sizes for each school. Teachers are encouraged to inquire about class sizes in interviews with school leaders.

 

Teaching in the Recovery School District

With 31 traditional schools and 27 charter schools, the Recovery School District (RSD) works with the largest number of New Orleans’ education providers. The RSD is led by Superintendent Paul Vallas (click here to read more) .

RSD schools have no admissions criteria, enabling students from any neighborhood in the city to attend. As more students returned to the city and other schools reached capacity, the RSD expanded to absorb the swelling student population. The district is committed to accommodating all students, especially those with special needs.

The RSD, which exists to transform underperforming schools into successful ones under the state accountability system, aims to lay the groundwork for a world-class education system in New Orleans. Student achievement, quality leadership, and parent and community collaboration guide the RSD’s approach. As the RSD introduces a new curriculum and heightens its focus on technology, the district is setting high goals to raise student achievement. However, implementing reform is an intensive process, and schools still have a long way to go to reach these goals. teachNOLA teachers should expect to work with the district in this process.

Typically, RSD schools are divided into either K-8 or 9-12 buildings. Elementary/middle schools usually run from 8:00am-3:15pm, with a teacher work day of 7:45am-3:30pm. High schools tend to start at 9:00am and get out at 4:15pm, with the teacher work day from 8:45am to 4:30pm. Most schools operate on traditional scheduling (50 minute classes), with the exception of some secondary math or English classes, which can be formatted in block scheduling (100-120 minute classes). The district is also introducing an optional extended day schedule this year, to provide extra instruction for students.

For more about the RSD and its priorities and principles, visit its homepage by clicking here.  

 

Teaching in a Charter School

Charter schools are independently-run public schools that operate according to the terms of a contract, or charter, between a private group and a school district or state. In exchange for greater freedom over items such as the academic program, management structure, and length of the school day and year, charters are held accountable for concrete performance targets. The agency that granted the charter can close schools that do not meet their targets, among other reasons.

The greater autonomy given to charters means that the experiences of teachers in these schools can vary greatly from building to building. For example, teachers in some New Orleans charter schools may teach classes in blocks of two or more hours, while others teach on a more traditional schedule. Some teachers may also teach at a year-round school where students participate in an intensive summer session. The vast majority of these charters serve the city’s neediest students.


New Orleans also has charter schools that focus on specific areas. Examples of such schools include:

With more charters as a proportion of all schools than any city in the nation, New Orleans is seen by some as the charter school movement’s premier laboratory. The city currently has schools run by nationally recognized non-profit operators as well as smaller community groups and for-profit educational management organizations.

National operators with schools in New Orleans include Edison Schools, the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), The Leona Group, and the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO). Local community groups also operate charter schools, such as Lafayette Academy or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology. 

Since a teacher’s experience can vary significantly from one charter school to another, teachNOLA encourages its enrollees to approach the placement process with an open, inquisitive mind. Program staff will also direct accepted candidates to the appropriate resources to learn more about individual charter schools.

For more information on charter schools, visit the Education Commission of the States and select “Charter Schools” from the drop-down menu.

We also suggest viewing the New Orleans Parents’ Guide to Public Schools, at http://nolaparentsguide.org, for more information on individual charter school.   

 

1 Bulletin 741: Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators (1997) http://www.winnpsb.org/WPSB/Bulletin%20741%20-%20Louisiana%20Handbook%20for%20School%20Administrators.pdf