Public Schools in New Orleans

Hurricane Katrina brought with it an opportunity to reinvent public education in the city of New Orleans, and the education reform model that has emerged bears little resemblance to the former New Orleans public school system. This new innovative model - comprised of state-operated, local district-operated, and charter schools - is changing the paradigm for the delivery of public education in the United States.  Never has a failing urban public school system in the country experienced such a total destruction of resources and responded with such radical change.

Download the latest State of Public Education in New Orleans report to learn more.

Public Schools Open During the 2008-09 School Year

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The emphasis on innovation and autonomy has seen the birth of a hybrid model of public education, with charter schools rubbing shoulders with district- and state-run schools.  Since Hurricane Katrina, nearly half of the students have returned – and those who have are part of an entirely new system, characterized by autonomy, choice, and multiple school operators.  The once centralized, district-run school system is now fundamentally different.  More than half of public school students now attend charter schools, making New Orleans the district with the highest proportion of charter schools in the nation. 

For historical information on the public schools in New Orleans, please click here.