Survey: 93% of parents satisfied with SSEE

The Louisiana Black Alliance for Educational Options released the results of its annual parental satisfaction survey today, indicating a nearly unanimous approval of a private-school program in the New Orleans area. This year’s survey shows a 93.4% satisfaction rate, ranging from “satisfied” to “very satisfied,” among parents with children participating in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence program. The survey also found 94.3% of respondents are happy with their child’s academic progress in the program, and 99% indicated their child feels safe and welcome in their current school. LaBAEO surveyed the parents of SSEE students via mail beginning in December. The SSEE program permits qualifying families to send their children to participating private schools of their choice. According to the Louisiana Department of Education, third-grade students in the program outperformed their peers in New Orleans Recovery School District schools in every subject on the Integrated Louisiana Educational Assessment Program test during the 2010-11 school year. “These results affirm the success of the New Orleans voucher program and clearly show that empowering parents with a choice in their child’s education is imperative,” says Lauren Perry of the Louisiana Federation for Children, a pro-voucher group, in a release. “Furthermore, the findings demonstrate a need to expand the current program beyond New Orleans so that children across the state have access to quality educational options.” Since being enacted in 2008, the SSEE program has grown to serve more than 1,800 students at 33 schools in Orleans Parish.