Charter schools in New Orleans could soon form a new agency that would let them share services for students with disabilities.
This week, school board members unanimously passed a resolution asking the superintendent to develop what’s known as an educational service agency, a public agency that provides services to a group of schools or districts.
The agency would allow the district to partner with interested charter management organizations and coordinate resources. Under the proposed timeline, it should be ready to launch next year.
Special education services can be expensive and scarce. Those challenges are worse in New Orleans' decentralized system since schools can't benefit from economies of scale.
Shayla Guidry Hilaire, the district’s chief student and school support officer, sees the agency as a long-term solution.
“It also sends a direct message to the public that we are serious about outcomes for students with disabilities,” she told board members.
Louisiana doesn’t have any educational service agencies, but the arrangement is common in other states and something charter schools have used before.
The Center for Learner Equity, a national nonprofit with a presence in New Orleans, pitched the idea to the district in late 2021. From there, the two secured state funding to conduct a multi-phase study.
They found a majority of charter leaders supported the idea of shared services, but also raised concerns. Some worried about losing autonomy and questioned whether the district had the resources to effectively run the agency.
Others questioned the power dynamic, arguing they’d be uncomfortable asking the district for help, since it has the ability to shut down schools for poor performance.
Board member Carlos Zervigon said “trust” is one of the biggest issues that still needs to be tackled.
“There needs to be some sort of firewall where we understand that it’s OK to ask for help because we’re all in it together,” he said, later adding, “There is a lot to unravel.”
