Author: Marta Jewson

About 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.

Council members promise action after Lens finds most school lights not working

February 10, 2015 Updated November 7, 2019

Varying days off around Mardi Gras will be a challenge for those controlling the lights.

Lens survey finds nearly half of school-zone flashers broken in New Orleans

February 5, 2015 Updated June 10, 2022

Throughout the city, school-zone flashers fail to light on weekday mornings and afternoons, and cars drive by without slowing down. The city says the solar panels don't get enough sunlight to charge on overcast days. In some cases, the solar panels have been installed incorrectly. Elsewhere, the batteries need to be replaced.

A mid-year move for Morris Jeff school is just part of continuing shuffle

January 23, 2015 Updated November 7, 2019

With its third move in its five-year history, the charter school finally is moving into a permanent home. It's one of 10 new or renovated schools that will be finished this calendar year, and even more are underway for 2016 and beyond.