A Tale of Five Cities

Neerav Kingsland:

A devastating natural disaster destroys one of the nation's most under-performing school districts. Leaders of state takeover agency (Recovery School District, or RSD) focus energy on human capital, charter school development, and autonomous district schools. National philanthropy invests heavily. Entrepreneurial educators head south. Five years in, the RSD's third superintendent announces he will charter all schools and develop the nation's first charter school district. His successor, the fourth superintendent in six years and a former New Orleans teacher, commits to continuing down this path. Charter school and human capital efforts continue with full force. Test scores are up but there is still a long way to go. No plans exist for long-term governance of system.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at June 1, 2012 2:17 AM
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