Greater New Orleans

Schools

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

• Orleans Parish (city of New Orleans and the Recovery School District)
• Jefferson Parish (encompasses several New Orleans suburbs surrounding the city)
• St. Bernard Parish (made up of rural communities east of New Orleans)
• St. John the Baptist Parish (made up of more rural communities 30 miles west of New Orleans)

All four 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

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