State looks to avoid past mistakes with charter school operators

When Louisiana considers its next batch of charter school operators, the state will be able to draw upon lessons learned from prior experience, Recovery School District officials say. They say unsuccessful charter operators, such as Advance Baton Rouge, often didn’t have enough time to prepare for launching a new school. Some were unable to create a disciplined student culture, didn’t set academic expectations high enough, or didn’t have the right leadership. RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard says that as the district looks for “high-quality charter operators” for Baton Rouge schools currently run by the state, or even for new schools, it will be “looking for a fit” for each community. “As that process is going on, we want to be able to give voice to communities,” he says. “We want to take away the fear of the RSD.” Dobard also says the district is looking for operators with “a proven track record of success.” New Schools for Baton Rouge, a recently formed nonprofit, is helping recruit and vet potential operators. The RSD hopes to have chartered out at least half of its schools by 2014, with the rest being run by charter operators by 2015, while also adding more schools. The state has received 46 letters of intent from potential charter operators, although some of those may not complete the full application process. Applications are due May 1 for the 2014-15 school year. —David Jacobs