Community, District, School and Classroom Factors
I work in a charter school in New Orleans, LA. Hurricane Katrina (2005) has had a big effect on the geographic factors and its relation to the education in the city. Following Hurricane Katrina, the city had to be transformed. Majority of the schools in New Orleans are now public charter schools (James, L, 2015). These schools are independently run, some by charter school networks. The cause for the implementation of charter school was to close the achievement gap in students. Since Hurricane Katrina, 62% of students are now performing at their grade level opposed to the 20% in 2015 (James, L., 2015). I have to be mindful in my planning, delivery and assessing student learning. My students suffer from learning gaps due to the the shifts in the education system before and after Hurricane Katrina. Learning the area in which my students live has definitely helped me learn where they come from. It helps with my rapport with my students.
James, L. (2015). Charts Show How Hurricane Katrina Changed New Orleans. National Geographic. Retrieved from https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150828-data-points-how-hurricane-katrina-changed-new-orleans/
InspireNOLA Charter School is the charter school network I am working for. They currently serve 4,200 students across the New Orleans area. There are two high schools and four K-8 schools. The biggest population served InspireNOLA Charter Schools are African American students. They also serve caucasian, hispanic and asian children.
There is 7% of the district population, which includes special education students. 85% of students are economically disadvantaged. All students in the charter network receive free breakfast and lunch.
OII (2017). InspireNOLA Charter Schools: Expanding Exemplary Educational Options within Louisiana. Office of Innovation and Improvement. Retrieved from
https://innovation.ed.gov/files/2016/10/inspirenolacharterschoolsPN.pdf
When planning, delivering and assessing throughout my unit, I always keep in mind the demographics I personally serve. My charter network has worked very hard over the years to fill in the achievement gaps within the students we serve in all six schools. More than one-third of students we serve live in poverty. This definitely affects how my students learn or even interact with myself or their peers. I work closely with my counterparts to plan and create environments that are best for my students.
New Orleans Equity Index (2017). Equity Matters: A Look at Educational Equity in New Orleans Public Schools. Retrieved from http://neworleansequityindex.org/files/downloads/New-Orleans-Education-Equity-Index-Report-2017.pdf
I work at Eleanor McMain Secondary School. It is one of two high schools in the charter network. A large population of the students we serve live in poverty. This definitely affects how my students learn or even interact with myself or their peers. My school is made up of about 85% African American teachers. We have a growing English Language Learner population. As the ELL population grows, so does the precautions and measures taking place to ensure these students are being given the correct services. All of the students at Eleanor McMain receive free breakfast and lunch. In the past year since joining InspireNOLA Charter Schools, Eleanor McMain Secondary School has grown academically. The achievement gap is closing slowly but surely. But, there is still work to be done as students are two or more grade levels behind.