February 23, 2012
"The grant is part of a $500,000 donation from the ExxonMobil Foundation to strengthen math and science education..."
Get to Know The Turnaround Zone
In April, 2011, the Ascension Parish Public School System launched the Turnaround Zone in an effort to give seven schools in Ascension Parish targeted support to accelerate academic recovery and student success. Ascension Parish Superintendent Patrice Pujol pulled in community awareness and support in this effort. “We want our parents and the community to join in this important initiative by knowing about this work, recognizing this team and their intensive goals, and acknowledging the importance of all students and schools to excel.” One of the district’s first steps was to partner with Teach For America, recruiting about 15 new teachers for the Turnaround Zone.
In the first year of partnership, corps members are already demonstrating their community commitment by working with various organizations including the Downtown Development District of Donaldsonville and the Donaldsonville Chamber of Commerce. Community members helped the new corps secure housing and also have taught guest lessons in their classrooms.
The Ascension community has brought incredible energy to this partnership, enabling Teach For America corps members to be part of an exciting effort of bring lasting change for students across the parish.
Region Timeline
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The first public schools in the state are established in Pointe Coupee Parish.
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Baton Rouge replaces New Orleans as the state capital.
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Governor Huey P. Long expands the public education system in Louisiana to establish a public school in every community and provides free textbooks and busing to all students.
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Legislation passes authorizing the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to establish Louisiana's nationally recognized accountability system. Based on this law, students are tested annually on the iLEAP, LEAP, GEE, and End-of-Course exams. Schools, districts, and the state earn a performance score each year.
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Mike Wang (South Louisiana ’99) serves for two years as Education Policy Advisor to Governor Murphy J. Foster and helps create and expand a statewide public and private voucher pre-kindergarten program for low-income four-year-olds. He also works on the expansion of Louisiana’s charter school laws, the meshing of No Child Left Behind with Louisiana’s accountability program, and the passage of a Constitutional amendment allowing the state to take over control of failing schools from local districts.
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The State Legislature establishes a state-administered Recovery School District (RSD), which intervenes when schools are deemed as failing for at least four consecutive years.
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Hurricanes Rita and Katrina bring national attention to Louisiana’s education system. The South Louisiana region supports recovery efforts by providing post-Katrina housing and absorbing thousands of students from New Orleans and Mississippi.
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Baton Rouge pursues its first autonomous and new charter schools.
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After success in New Orleans, the Recovery School District takes over failing schools in East Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee Parishes.
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Governor Bobby Jindal signs three historic education reform bills into law, paving the way for the creation of one of the nation’s largest school choice systems. The bills also establish a system for rewarding teachers based on performance and create a structure for early childhood education.
Overheard
The fantasy would be to have a Teach For America educator in every year of a child’s education. They succeed in spite of enormous obstacles, show remarkable respect, and love their students. At the same time, they fall in love with Louisiana—the music, the food, the stories. Louisiana is like jazz, it gets under your skin.
President ,
Wurtele Foundation
Press
February 2, 2012
Audio interview of Michael Tipton, local Teach For America executive director
November 25, 2011
"Her realization that not all students were getting the things they needed out of their primary and secondary education led Allecyn Gay to join the Teach for America program in 2008..."
