This year, LEAP scores came back from the state of Louisiana in record time. Do parents understand the scores? Do kids? Now, the state begins to crunch school statistics to create School Performance Scores, which could lead to charter-school closures later this fall.
Category: Top Story
Posted inCriminal Justice
Unlocking opportunity:
It’s a familiar scenario. Potential employers see criminal histories and don’t hire. In New Orleans, improvements to the city’s “Ban the Box” ordinance could better challenge employment barriers. An Oct. 11 ballot amendment could expand that protection to include housing
Posted inCriminal Justice
From jailhouse lawyer to clerk of court candidate
Calvin Duncan’s unfinished mission for justice moves to his political candidacy
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Mayor pulls nomination for ethics-plagued former Sewerage & Water Board member, pledges to reappoint at later date
Kimberly Thomas, who served a decade ago on the S&WB, was given nod by a council committee last week and was slated for Council approval on Thursday
Posted inOpinion
Essence isn’t just facing organizational problems—it’s having an identity crisis
When Essence Communications rebranded its flagship event as the Essence Festival of Culture, it may have seemed like a harmless update. But in a city like New Orleans, where culture is lived—not marketed—that change said more than they likely intended. It marked a shift—away from something rooted and spiritual, toward something packaged, curated, and increasingly […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
From prison to justice
Calvin Duncan’s fight to free himself and others from a broken system — an interview by Bernard Smith.
Posted inEnvironment
Air pollution questions linger over Alabo Street Wharf
Sunrise Foods released air-quality assessments scant in detail. But early last month, LDEQ accelerated the company’s approval for its air-permit application.
Posted inCriminal Justice
‘Ride for Peace’ Brings New Orleanians together to interrupt violence and build community
Under the towering concrete pillars of the Claiborne Overpass, a different kind of parade rolled through the city—a protest on two wheels. On Saturday evening, dozens of New Orleans residents came together for the inaugural Ride for Peace, a community-driven bike rally organized by Ubuntu Village and the NOLA Peace Ambassadors Program. Part protest, part […]
Posted inSchools
Council pushes mayor to institute a 60-40 city-school split for school-zone ticket revenue
A state law passed last year required cities to share a portion of school-zone camera tickets with the schools themselves. But the City of New Orleans and local schools have not yet agreed on how to split the money.
Posted inSchools
Fannie C. Williams School suspended child; told her to come back with “mental health” eval
It’s unclear how the school’s order affected the student, who did return, but sporadically. But the school district sent Fannie C. Williams administrators a serious ‘notice of noncompliance’ in the case, which is still under investigation.