Charter Schools in New Orleans Struggle with Special Education Challenges

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The Times Picayune reports that charter schools are facing challenges in meeting the needs of special education students. The vast majority of students arrive without any paperwork, and many charter schools lack the necessary administrative and financial support. Growing and strengthening the charter school programs is particularly critical in New Orleans, where more than half of the city's public school students attend charter schools. "There's a sense of real urgency," said Matt Candler, chief executive officer of New Schools for New Orleans, a nonprofit that provides support to many of the city's charter schools and is currently supporting a survey of the charter schools' special education programs. "We're very emphatic in saying, 'It doesn't matter how well your school runs. If you don't serve children who have special education needs well, you jeopardize the whole charter movement.'" In a letter to all Recovery School District charter schools, Superintendent Paul Vallas reminded them that about 10 percent of their students should receive special education services or they could violate their contracts with the state. Vallas said he thinks the schools are doing a much better job this year than last, but he noted: "The charters know we have to adhere to special education mandates. If they don't, we're going to be facing one big class-action lawsuit. . . . They know, and we know, that the clock is ticking."

Source: The Times-Picayune
Date: 01/06/2008