Greater New Orleans

Schools

Greater New Orleans corps members teach in one of six southeast Louisiana parishes (Louisiana’s term for counties):

• Orleans Parish (an urban area that houses both traditional public schools and public charter schools run by the Recovery School District, the Orleans Parish School Board, and independent charter networks)
• Jefferson Parish (the most diverse parish in our region along both racial and socio-economic lines. It is an urban and suburban parish surrounding Orleans Parish which houses a traditional public school district which we have partnered with for the last 19 years.
• St. Bernard Parish (made up of suburban and rural communities directly east of Orleans Parish and was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Now rebuilding, they renewed their partnership with Teach For America in 2008. Greater New Orleans corps members teach in 100% of their schools)
• St. John the Baptist Parish (comprised of suburban and rural communities 30 miles west of Orleans Parish. Greater New Orleans corps members are clustered in 9 of the 11 schools and serve 1 out of 2 students within this district)
• St. James Parish (suburban and rural area made up of smaller towns boarding the Mississippi River 45 miles west of New Orleans, just past St. John the Baptist Parish. St. James Parish partnered with Teach For America for the first time in 2009)
• Plaquemines Parish (a string of rural communities boarding the Mississippi river south of New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico. Plaquemines Parish renewed their partnership with Teach For America in 2009)

All six of these parishes are among the lowest-performing and most impoverished districts in Louisiana. A sharp racial and socio-economic division exists in each of these parishes between public and private schools in the region. One out of every three school-age children in Teach For America’s partner parishes attends a non-public school—three times the national average. While each of the school systems in these parishes faces similar challenges, there are unique education reform initiatives underway in each one that Teach For America corps members and alumni are instrumental in leading.

We are engaging in a historical effort to rebuild public education in New Orleans. Teach For America is providing us not only with highly effective teachers, but also building a new generation of leaders who will help bring systemic change to the region.

- Paul Vallas, Superintendent, Recovery School District

View a map of our placement areas.

At a Glance

Partner School Districts:
NOLA Public Schools
Jefferson Parish Public Schools
St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools
Recovery School District in Orleans Parish
St. Bernard Parish Schools
St. James Parish Schools
Plaquemines Parish Schools

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-Orleans Parish
Total: approximately 33,000
97% African-American
1% Caucasian
2% Latino and Hispanic
<1% Asian-American
<1% Native American

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-Jefferson Parish
Total: approximately 50,000
49% African-American
32% Caucasian
13% Latino and Hispanic
5% Asian-American
<1% Native American

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-St. John the Baptist Parish
Total: approximately 6,500
79% African-American
17% Caucasian
3% Latino and Hispanic
<1% Asian-American
<1% Native American

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
85-86%

Placements
35% elementary
65% secondary
31% hold special education assignments
95% teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus