Behind The Lens episode 270: ‘The wrong schools’

Education reporter Marta Jewson on the state's request that the courts free them from a special education consent decree, the city council seeks to send $10m to schools and NOLA Public Schools has a new superintendent.
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This week on Behind The Lens, the Louisiana Department of Education and Orleans Parish School Board have asked a federal judge to release them from a decade-old decision forcing them to operate under a consent decree which was instituted on behalf of special-education students who weren’t receiving proper services in the early days of New Orleans’ charter school system.

Late last fall, after NOLA Public Schools found itself in a budget crisis, city council members stepped up to provide the district with a desperately needed cash infusion. That bailout was stymied by the mayor who argued that the city couldn’t afford it. Now the city council is looking to outmaneuver the mayor with a budget amendment, which the mayor could veto.  

In a sign of resistance to Governor Jeff Landry’s policy proposals, voters in Louisiana overwhelmingly rejected his four constitutional amendments in an election on Saturday, which could have broad implications for the rest of his term.    

Lens education reporter and deputy editor Marta Jewson joins host Carolyne Heldmen.

Theme music by Podington Bear. Additional music Memories of Poohsticks by Podington Bear soundofpicture.com. 

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Carolyne Heldman

Carolyne Heldman has been in media for 35 years, most recently as Executive Director at an NPR member station in Colorado where she was responsible for new multi-platform content initiatives, strategic planning, research, branding, and non-traditional revenue generation. During her tenure she also created and launched four weekly news, public affairs and cultural affairs programs and monthly live Town Hall broadcasts. Heldman moved to New Orleans last summer with her husband and canine companion and they live happily in The Marigny.