Charter or Public?
If public or charter is your best option (as opposed to a private education), it's important to know the differences, as well as your options, as a parent (click here for a brief overview). New Orleans is unique in this country, in that we are the only city with more students attending charter schools than public schools - a direct result of the aftermath of Katrina.* Parents have options they never dreamed of before the storm. Here are some differences:
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Public schools in New Orleans are directly administered by the Orleans Parish School Board or the Recovery School District of Louisiana (which is operated by the Louisiana Department of Education). The headquarters of the OPSB is in the West Bank neighborhood of Algiers, while the RSD's headquarters is on Poland Avenue in the Ninth Ward.
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Charter schools offer the same educational benefits as public schools (if they provide state-mandated exams), but are administered by "non-profit groups, universities, or government entities." Therefore, they are "subject to fewer rules, regulations, and statutes than traditional state schools (but typically receive less public funding than public schools", often a fixed amount per pupil). Thus, they may have a special educational focus: e.g. math, science, or the arts.** Charter schools in New Orleans mainly fall under the auspices of either the OPSB, the RSD, BESE, or the Algiers Charter Schools Association. Click here and here for more information.
As with all schools, there are deadlines for application. To find out the deadline of the school(s) you are considering, visit their websites or simply call them. Click on the icons below to see a list of public and charter schools in the area.
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Algiers Charter Schools Association
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BESE Charter Schools
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Orleans Parish School Board Public and Charter Schools
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Recovery School District Public and Charter Schools
FOR A FULL LIST OF ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA, CLICK ON THE ICON BELOW:
* Recovery School District Frequently Asked Questions. http://www.rsdla.net/Resources/FAQs.aspx
** Charter schools in the United States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_schools_in_the_United_States