Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Optimization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Policy committee advances first reading of Policy HG on district optimization, sets fall deadlines
Summary
The Orleans Parish School Board policy committee held a first reading of an amended Policy HG that defines two metrics for declaring district overcapacity and sets statutory deadlines for an optimization plan; staff will determine optimal enrollments with schools and return for a second reading in August.
The Orleans Parish School Board Policy Committee on July 28 advanced a first reading of an amendment to Policy HG that creates a framework for declaring when the district is in a state of overcapacity and for developing an optimization plan.
Maya Lagana, an independent educational consultant working with the district, told the committee the policy centers on system-level decisions to ensure students receive a consistent, high-quality experience despite falling enrollment. "Optimization is about making sure that no matter our enrollment, we can offer students the high quality student experience they deserve every day," Lagana said. She said the policy stitches together stakeholder feedback, quarterly reporting commitments, and new statutory requirements to guide decisions this fall.
Under the draft, staff will produce an overcapacity report in the fall and, if the district is in overcapacity, the superintendent must present an optimization plan to the board by mid-December. Lagana told the committee the law requires a determination no later than Nov. 15 and that the administration aims to publish an overcapacity report by Nov. 1 to allow more time for review. Dr. Fatima Fulmore, superintendent, emphasized the need for accurate enrollment data tied to the state's 10/1 count before making formal determinations: "You cannot do a state of overcapacity without accurate enrollment data," she said.
Board members expressed a desire for a single, firm recommendation from the superintendent rather than a menu of options when the optimization plan is presented. President Eames said the board expects the administration to "bring us the plans" and that the board will vote on a recommended plan. The committee was told staff will work with schools in August to set each school's optimal enrollment and that optimal-enrollment figures will be revisited annually.
The committee moved the matter to a second reading in August and instructed staff to surface the key data used to make any overcapacity determination.
