Marta Jewson, Author at The Lens

Author Archives: Marta Jewson

Marta Jewson covers education in New Orleans for The Lens. She began her reporting career covering charter schools for The Lens and helped found the hyperlocal news site Mid-City Messenger. Jewson returned to New Orleans in the fall of 2014 after covering education for the St. Cloud Times in Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with majors in journalism and social welfare and a concentration in educational policy studies.

Jewson has covered New Orleans schools for 15 years through the nation's largest education reform experiment. She was a founding member of the outlet's Charter School Reporting Corps and was instrumental in holding schools accountable to sunshine laws during the rapid expansion of charter schools in the city.

Schools

Einstein’s dispute over busing students is part of the charter conundrum: choice vs. autonomy

by Marta JewsonOctober 13, 2017November 7, 2019

A parent said she was forced to transfer her kids from an Einstein school after she was told her kids would have to take a city bus.

Investigations, Schools

Plans to test school drinking water for lead were abandoned after water board raised questions

by Marta JewsonOctober 10, 2017November 7, 2019

Last fall, school officials announced plans to test water for lead at 10 schools. The city water board argued they should allow more lead in the water before taking action, and a testing consultant wondered whether the water board would challenge his results. The test plans were dropped in favor of filters, which haven’t been installed yet.

Schools

The Orleans Parish School Board wants someone to take over the building housing Mahalia Jackson

by Marta JewsonSeptember 27, 2017November 7, 2019

The board hasn’t decided whether to close the school. Board member Ben Kleban said a charter could open there.

Schools

Einstein board prepares to fight Orleans school district over its failure to bus students

by Marta JewsonSeptember 25, 2017November 7, 2019

The Orleans Parish school district cited the school earlier this month.

Schools

Moton charter school is in trouble again for failing to serve its special-ed students

by Marta JewsonSeptember 7, 2017November 7, 2019

This is the second time in a year it has been reprimanded. Now it could lose its charter.

Schools

Here are the school buildings in New Orleans that will get water filters to eliminate lead

by Marta JewsonSeptember 1, 2017November 7, 2019

About a dozen schools that aren’t in district facilities aren’t included, but they can buy into the contract.

Schools

Water filters to protect against lead will be installed at most New Orleans schools this fall

by Marta JewsonAugust 23, 2017November 7, 2019

School districts sought the filters after dropping a plan to test school water.

Investigations, Schools

New Orleans school districts scrapped plans to test water for lead. The new plan: install filters.

by Marta JewsonAugust 22, 2017November 7, 2019

A year ago, the two school districts that oversee schools in the city announced they were “proactively” coming up with a plan to test water supplies for lead. But they didn’t act. Now the plan is to install water filters. Meanwhile, kids are back in school.

Schools