News Brief

03/14/13

Superintendent John White Announces Plan to Replace Louisiana's Failing Schools

Examiner.com (03/14/13) Cooper, KennethDuring a recent teleconference, Louisiana Superintendent of Education John White unveiled a $5 million grant program called Believe and Succeed to help schools graded as D or F to improve at a more accelerated pace. White said, "We have to accelerate the pace of change." Under the program, educators can submit plans for replacing D or F schools with a better model, and if the plan is accepted, educators can receive training and matching funds from either the New School Development fund or the Expanding Excellence fund. The New School Development fund allows proposed schools to either be charter or traditional public schools in any district and have at least one school leader candidate who will be responsible for implementing the plan, hiring and firing, budgeting, and curriculum decisions. These plans could receive matching funds from the Education Department, and after a year's worth of state training for the leader, educators could open a new school in place of a failing one. With the Expanding Excellence grant, the Department of Education and BESE will match the funds local groups contribute to help proven charter groups open new schools, which would replace schools graded as D or F, but there would be no training involved. Grants would average about $50,000, according to White, and applications are due by April 26, with notification of acceptance by May 15.
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