Challenging Doug Harris to a Follow-Up Study Isolating OPSB and RSD Outcomes
In a July 15, 2018, study on market-ed reform in New Orleans, researchers Doug Harris and Matthew Larsen combined data on two sets of New Orleans schools: those not taken over by the state and remaining with the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB), and those taken over by the state to form the Recovery School District (RSD).
OPSB schools, most of which are charter schools, include selective admission charter schools and also have notably more white students. Not considered “failing,” OPSB schools have had higher school performance scores and ACT scores. OPSB schools are fewer in number, but examination of the number of students attending OPSB high schools from 2007 – 2014 indicates that OPSB schools have served more New Orleans students than have RSD high schools for all years but one.
RSD schools are not the schools that white students choose to attend. The number of RSD schools has fluctuated over the years, with the ratio of RSD schools to OPSB schools being 4:1. However, as previously noted, the number of students attending OPSB high schools rivals and exceeds the number of RSD high school students from 2007 – 2014 (the years included in Harris and Larsen’s study.
New Orleans has two school systems, if you will: one for the “haves” (OPSB), and one for the “have nots” (RSD).
It is misleading to analyze all New Orleans students together as one “choice” district.
I believe that OPSB success can conceal RSD deficit, especially in analyses of high school and college success.
I believe Harris and Larsen have done the public a disservice by ignoring where a student has attended school (OPSB or RSD) in their study.
It is not enough to even offer analyses by race or low-income divisions alone since many black students attend OPSB schools.
I challenge Harris and Larsen to redo their study and compare OPSB outcomes with RSD outcomes. To do so offers distinct insight into the outcomes associated with state takeover and subsequent charter conversion (RSD) versus non-state-takeover that includes selective admission charters (OPSB).
When the state took control of most of New Orleans’ public schools, it was with a boast of turning those schools around. Provide the public with measurable outcomes on this boast.
The public deserves to know the degree to which such turn-around was achieved.
Produce the study. And if you cannot produce the study, produce a brief explaining why you cannot produce it. Challenging Doug Harris to a Follow-Up Study Isolating OPSB and RSD Outcomes | deutsch29
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