FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
***IN CASE YOU MISSED IT***
Democrats for Education Reform’s National President Calls For a Unified Public School System in New Orleans
“The unification of New Orleans’ schools offers yet another opportunity for the city to serve as an example of excellence”
Baton Rouge, La. – Shavar Jeffries, National President of Democrats for Education Reform, weighed in on Louisiana Senate Bill 432, a bill that outlines a timeline for unification of schools in a piece recently published by Education Post:
“The path to meaningful and lasting change in our public schools system is often difficult, driven by successes and slowed by setbacks along the way. Nevertheless, as anyone fighting for this effort will tell you, the enormity of the challenge pales in comparison to the incredible opportunity of realizing the day when every student in every neighborhood nationwide receives the world-class public education they deserve.
“One place this road has been both particularly daunting and incredibly promising is in New Orleans.
“A decade ago, the country watched with broken hearts as Hurricane Katrina’s devastation and destruction forced the closure of most of New Orleans’ schools and ushered in a major overhaul of the district’s struggling system. Rather than reverting to a broken status quo, local families, school leaders, elected officials and community members came together to revitalize New Orleans’ schools. As a result, they created one of the most innovative school systems in the country.
“By empowering parents with high-quality public school options, challenging students to meet high standards, and grounding the system with strong accountability at every level, New Orleans has become a model of reform for the nation. And now, New Orleans is ready to continue forward into the next phase of educational excellence.”
For the full piece, click here.
As SB 432 made its way through the Louisiana Legislature, Democrats for Education Reform-Louisiana remained at the forefront of the conversation and will continue to fight for high-quality options for each and every student in New Orleans.
For a recap on SB 432 and how DFER-LA remains involved, click here.
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Contact: Leslie Leavoy, leslie@dfer.org