National Coverage of New Orleans K-12 Education Ten Years After Katrina

The 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina generated extensive national coverage of New Orleans K-12 education reforms.

Excerpt from President Obama’s speech

“Working together, we’ve transformed education in this city. Before the storm, New Orleans public schools were largely broken, leaving generations of low-income kids without a decent education. Today, thanks to parents and educators, school leaders, nonprofits, we’re seeing real gains in achievement, with new schools, more resources to retain and develop and support great teachers and principals. We have data that shows before the storm, the high school graduation rate was 54 percent. Today, it’s up to 73 percent. Before the storm, college enrollment was 37 percent. Today, it’s almost 60 percent. We still have a long way to go, but that is real progress. New Orleans is coming back better and stronger.”

Broadcast Media

Superintendent John White on MSNBC

NBC on the state of schools post Katrina

Roland Martin on Troy Simon, who could not read until age 14 and is now at senior at Bard College

The 74: Videos of Past, Present and Future of New Orleans schools

NBC highlights New Orleans education and includes the YouthRise rally

PBS on New Orleans (Education section starts at the 15 minute mark.)

New York Times video on education (scroll down and watch New Orleans East)

ESPN chronicles Carver’s rebuilding

Alexina Medley, principal of Warren Easton, on progress post storm

Print and Online Media

Jamar McKneely in People Magazine and on People Now

U.S. News and World report on New Orleans teachers, the real heroes post Hurricane Katrina

John White in the Washington Post on how No Child Left Behind can look to New Orleans as a model

Sarah Carr on Slate.com sharing a view of charters in New Orleans

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on progress in New Orleans

Bloomberg on children leading the rebirth in New Orleans

Senator Landrieu in the Hill discusses No Child Left Behind and how federal lawmakers should look to New Orleans as an example during reauthorization

Cokie Roberts highlights schools’ progress

Jonathan Alter on why liberals should learn to love charter schools

Forbes on the dramatic growth of New Orleans charter schools

The Daily Signal reports on TFA alumni in New Orleans

Doug Harris in the Washington Post on the complicated progress of schools in New Orleans

National Geographic on school progress

The New Teacher Project (TNTP) on the lessons we can take from New Orleans

New Orleans STAND parent reports positive news on Dropout Nation

Sivi Domango, school leader of Arthur Ashe, on Black America Web discussing her experiences post-Katrina and in Vibe discussing opening up a charter school post-Katrina

News One on New Orleans 10 years later

Commentary Magazine on Hurricane Katrina’s proudest legacy

Reason.com on how New Orleans charter schools have made real improvements

Education Week Stories

Patrick Dobard on standing up the system

Senator Landrieu discusses how charters are addressing equity

Huffington Post Stories

Former homeless New Orleans College Prep student graduates as valedictorian

Facts that New Orleans school leaders want people to know

Education is one of the bright spots post Katrina

School buildings that were destroyed after Katrina

The Network Journal Stories

Highlighting Jamar McKneely of Inspire NOLA

Interview with Dana Peterson of the RSD

Madame Noir Stories

Highlighting Jahquille Ross, a teacher from Harte Elementary

Interview with the principal of Warren Easton, Alexina Medley

Education Post Stories

Kira Orange-Jones touts educators’ resilience

Anton Brown, former student at New Orleans College Prep, discusses his high school

Negative Coverage

New York Times on the Myth of the New Orleans School Makeover

Responses to the New York Times piece:

New York Magazine

Peter Cook’s fact check

Superintendent John White’s open letter to schools and children

Superintendent John White and a parent’s response published in the NYT

International Business Times claims that students are left behind

The Guardian is suspicious of charters in New Orleans

U.S. News and World report: New Orleans charters foster unhelpful competition

The Root believes that charter schools in New Orleans are inequitable

Louisiana charters are the worst according to 2011 NAEP results in Huffington Post