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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 89
BY SENATOR MORRELL
EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY. Creates the Local Schools Commission of Orleans
to study the feasibility of returning control of all Recovery Schools District schools located
in Orleans Parish back to the Orleans Parish School Board.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To create the Local Schools Commission of Orleans to study the feasibility of returning2
control of all Recovery School District schools located in Orleans Parish back to the3
Orleans Parish School Board.4
WHEREAS, following Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Legislature deemed it5
necessary to expand the Recovery School District for the purpose of addressing the6
educational needs of the children of New Orleans; and 7
WHEREAS, the passage of time has shown that the Recovery School District's8
purpose as an interim entity to assist in the recovery process after Hurricane Katrina has9
been adequately served; and10
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Constitution established the Orleans Parish School Board11
as the legal authority for administration of the schools for which it is responsible; and12
WHEREAS, as Orleans Parish school system is the only fully decentralized school13
system in the state, it is reasonable and necessary for a comprehensive examination of the14
unique policy and structural changes required to support the return of the schools from under15
the auspices of the Recovery School District to the authority and management of the Orleans16
Parish School Board; and17
WHEREAS, the Orleans Public Education Network (OPEN) has conducted the most18 SCR NO. 89
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extensive and inclusive review of structuring school governance and included different1
design models and engaged New Orleans residents and has framed a set of recommendations2
for building a unified school district.3
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby4
create the Local Schools Commission of Orleans to study the feasibility of returning control5
of all Recovery School District schools located in Orleans Parish back to the Orleans Parish6
School Board. 7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission created herein shall consist of8
the following members:9
(1)One member of the Senate who is domiciled in Orleans Parish, appointed by10
the president.11
(2)One member of the House of Representatives who is domiciled in Orleans12
Parish, appointed by the speaker.13
(3)The president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, or14
his designee.15
(4)The president of the Orleans Parish School Board, or his designee.16
(5)The state superintendent of education, or his designee.17
(6)The superintendent of the Recovery School District, or his designee.18
(7)The superintendent of the Orleans Parish School Board, or his designee.19
(8)The executive director of the Louisiana Public Charter School Association,20
or his designee.21
(9)The chief executive officer of the Choice Foundation, or his designee.22
(10)The chief executive officer of the Algiers Charter School Association, or his23
designee.24
(11)The chief executive officer of KIPP New Orleans, or his designee.25
(12)The executive director of the Orleans Public Education Network, or his26
designee.27
(13)One representative from a single school charter operator chosen from two28
names submitted by the president of the Orleans Parish School Board and29
appointed by the executive director of the Orleans Public Education30 SCR NO. 89
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Network.1
(14)One representative from a single school charter operator chosen from two2
names submitted by the president of the State Board of Elementary and3
Secondary Education and appointed by the executive director of the Orleans4
Public Education Network.5
(15)The president of the East Bank Collaborative of Charter Schools, or his6
designee.7
(16)The mayor of the city of New Orleans, or his designee, shall serve as a non-8
voting ex officio member.9
(17)The chair of the New Orleans City Council Committee on Health, Education,10
and Social Services, or his designee, shall serve as a non-voting ex officio11
member.12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission study shall include an13
examination and analysis concerning the following:14
(1)The feasibility of returning all Recovery School District schools located in15
Orleans Parish to the management of the Orleans Parish School Board.16
(2)The optimal governance structure for defining the relationship between the17
Orleans Parish School Board and the local charter schools located within18
Orleans Parish.19
(3)Include a "Planning and Implementation Report And Transition Plan" to20
accomplish this task in an efficacious and dutiful manner to the benefit of the21
public school children of New Orleans by November 1, 2014.22
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the commission shall serve23
without compensation, except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be24
entitled as members of their constituent organizations.25
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the total membership shall26
constitute a quorum of the commission, and that any official action by the commission shall27
require an affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum present and voting.28
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the executive director of the Orleans Public29
Education Network, or his designee, shall serve as chair of the commission.30 SCR NO. 89
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orleans Public Education Network shall1
provide administrative support for the commission in collaboration and cooperation with the2
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Recovery School District, and the3
Orleans Parish School Board.4
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission may conduct public meetings5
at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise its powers fully6
and effectively, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this7
Resolution, and may receive at such public meetings testimony and other evidence relative8
to any of the subjects of the study enumerated in this Resolution.9
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall issue a report of its10
findings to the legislature and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education no11
later than February 1, 2015.12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the13
president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state14
superintendent of education, the superintendent of the Orleans Parish School Board, and the15
superintendent of the Recovery School District.16
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
Morrell SCR No. 89
Creates the Local Schools Commission of Orleans to study the feasibility of returning
control of all Recovery School District schools located in Orleans Parish back to the Orleans
Parish School Board.
The commission created herein shall consist of the following members:
(1)One member of the Senate who is domiciled in Orleans Parish, appointed by
the president.
(2)One member of the House of Representatives who is domiciled in Orleans
Parish, appointed by the speaker.
(3)The president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, or
his designee.
(4)The president of the Orleans Parish School Board, or his designee.
(5)The state superintendent of education, or his designee.
(6)The superintendent of the Recovery School District, or his designee. SCR NO. 89
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(7)The superintendent of the Orleans Parish School Board, or his designee.
(8)The executive director of the Louisiana Public Charter School Association,
or his designee.
(9)The chief executive officer of the Choice Foundation, or his designee.
(10)The chief executive officer of the Algiers Charter School Association, or his
designee.
(11)The chief executive officer of KIPP New Orleans, or his designee.
(12)The executive director of the Orleans Public Education Network, or his
designee.
(13)One representative from a single school charter operator chosen from two
names submitted by the president of the Orleans Parish School Board and
appointed by the executive director of the Orleans Public Education
Network.
(14)One representative from a single school charter operator chosen from two
names submitted by the president of BESE and appointed by the executive
director of the Orleans Public Education Network.
(15)The president of the East Bank Collaborative of Charter Schools, or his
designee.
(16)The mayor of the City of New Orleans, or his designee, shall serve as a non-
voting ex officio member.
(17)The chair of the New Orleans City Council Committee on Health, Education,
and Social Services, or his designee, shall serve as a non-voting ex officio
member.
The commission shall issue a report of its findings to the legislature and BESE no later than
February 1, 2015.