In 1985, New Orleans residents decided that New Orleans Public Service Inc. — now called Entergy New Orleans — should be regulated by the City Council rather than the state’s Public Service Commission, which had overseen the utility for the three previous years. Ever since, the council has relied almost entirely on a group of […]
Posted inBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens episode 25: Little red marks
Reporter Marta Jewson tells us how she uncovered allegations of grade inflation at Kennedy High School. Michael Isaac Stein talks about political patronage in lucrative City Council utility contracts. And Tom Wright follows up on his recent story on wastewater assimilation.
Posted inSchools
New Orleans 7th grader’s lead test results prompt district to speed up filter installation at French Quarter school
The district’s pledge to install filters in all schools has been delayed several times.
Posted inSchools
Parent says Bricolage Academy’s new aftercare policies exclude special education students
The charter school’s board gave Bricolage’s CEO an April 15 deadline for a report on special education services. A lawyer says schools must include children with disabilities in after-school programs.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Political connections, contributions helped utility consultants keep lucrative contracts for decades, former council members say
New Orleans City Council members have come and gone over the past three decades. But a group of consultants who help them regulate Entergy, and charge millions per year, have remained remarkably consistent.
Posted inSchools
Orleans school district continuing to look into Kennedy grade changes
The district previously found no evidence of wrongdoing. But officials have received new information prompting them to take another look.
Posted inOpinion, Schools
Student testing for the 21st century: finding alternatives to forced choice
Better options are out there, or on the way.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
New report says New Orleans eviction rate is nearly double national average
In some majority black neighborhoods, one in four renter households had an eviction order, the report found.
Posted inInside the News Room
Week in Review: Former charter network employee says Kennedy HS administrators improperly changed students’ grades
Plus, Russel Honore does an extended interview on Behind The Lens. And two opposing perspectives on the RTA’s plan for the Canal streetcar line.
Posted inSchools
F to D grade changes at Kennedy High School are suspicious, former administrator says
Runell King says he discovered evidence that Kennedy employees improperly inflated students’ grades. He sent it to top administrators and was fired soon after. The CEO of the school’s charter network denies the allegations, saying the changes were made to correct a software error.