Understanding School Governance

In response to the heightened interest in and importance of the public school governance conversation in summer 2010, OPEN held an Understanding School Governance lecture series. In seven sessions, OPEN research partners and collaborators presented recent research on effective governance strategies in an effort to inform and engage the New Orleans community. OPEN’s Governance Series featured the following speakers and presentations:

  • History of New Orleans Public Education

    OPEN produced "A History of Public Education" to provide the community with a comprehensive overview of public education in New Orleans.

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  • Educate Now! Report Presentation

    Tuesday August 17, 2010 (Urban League of Greater New Orleans) Leslie Jacobs, Founder of Educate Now, presented key variables the new governance system must consider. Her data was drawn on work conducted over 6 months, with 25 local and national stakeholders. To view this video, please follow this link (http://vimeo.com/21127856) to our Understanding Governance Summer Series Channel on Vimeo.

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  • Orleans Parish School Board Report Presentation

    Thursday August 26, 2010 (Urban League of Greater New Orleans). The Orleans Parish School Board presented an update on the district and its successes over the past five years post-Katrina.

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  • Recovery School District Report Presentation

    Thursday August 19, 2010 (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities). The Recovery School District presented an update on the status of the RSD and its plan for the future.

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  • Research on Reforms Report Presentation

    Thursday August 12, 2010 (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities). Research on Reform presented its recommendations for a site-based management model of governance which maintained some form of an elected school board.

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  • Gulf States RAND Policy Institute Report Presentat

    Thursday August 5, 2010 (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities). Gulf States Rand offered broader insight on how decentralization has worked in other communities highlighting several national and international examples that might inform the governance discussion.

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  • Dr. Torin Sanders Report Presentation

    Thursday July 29, 2010 (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities). Dr. Sanders presented his recommendation for a governance model which called for the creation of a new school system called, The New Orleans Unified School District. The Sanders Governance plan would completely restructure the system to include autonomy for all schools in hiring, firing, setting school schedules and managing their budgets. Download the report.

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  • BGR and the Cowen Institute Report Presentation

    Tuesday July 20, 2010 (Urban League of Greater New Orleans) Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) and Tulane University Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives. These two organizations presented their report which examined five potential options for school governance. The presenters also discussed the pros and cons of each model.

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