News -> INDReporter THU, JUL 22 10:58AM by Nathan Stubbs

Pastorek: Lafayette positioned to be a leader in public education

State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek says Lafayette is probably in a better position than any other city in the state to achieve world class education in its public schools, if school leaders can create the right environment for progress. Louisiana's chief public education official spoke Wednesday night at LEDA at a meeting of The 705 community organization of young professionals. The event was also attended by several of the non-incumbent candidates running for school board (it took place during the school board's meeting), most of whom expressed support for Pastorek's plans.

Pastorek said there are two systemic problems in the state's education system today: The school system is a monopoly with little competition from charter schools and there is a counterproductive habit of shifting blame to students and their parents for the system's shortcomings. "I'm sick of us blaming it on parents and kids, especially poor ones," Pastorek said, "because I know it can be done."

"If we can fix these two problems," he added, "you'll see public education rise dramatically and this is the best city in the state to see that happen." Pastorek noted that there are more kids who pass the eighth grade LEAP test that end up dropping out of school in Lafayette than anywhere else in the state, by a wide margin. "It's not academics that are holding kids back in Lafayette," he said. "This is a target rich environment."

Greg Davis, a candidate in District 2, asked Pastorek if one of his campaign platforms, achieving a 95 percent graduation rate, was attainable, and how long it might take for a parish like Lafayette, with its current graduation rate of about 67 percent, to achieve that. Pastorek responded that he thought a 95 percent graduation rate was attainable in eight years time, if the community rallies around that goal and holds its leaders accountable. Pastorek also said research shows the state needs higher-quality teachers — a focus of the state's recent Race To The Top proposal — and needs to foster more teacher mentoring and professional development.

Asked how Lafayette could best utilize its unique citywide fiber-to-the-home telecommunications network to advance education opportunities, Pastorek replied simply, "I don't know. But there's people a lot smarter than me that do." He said the best strategy would involve local grassroots initiatives that brought in key partners from the IT and business community. This type of ingenuity, he says, has been a cornerstone of the state's charter schools, which largely operate independent of district school boards and administrations. "You know what happens in schools where they don't have a bunch of administrators telling them what to do and how to do it? They get creative," he said. "If you had 41 charter schools in Lafayette, you'd have more creativity and initiative than you could handle."


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written by LMAO , July 22, 2010 - 04:35 pm
pastorek is a piece of work. he's been tight with greg (as has the ind) for years. this is such a put-up job, with these people holding a meeting on a day they know no incumbent can attend.
since the charters in new orleans are doing such a horrible job, makes you wonder why he keeps pushing them. maybe because his friends and leslie jacobs' friends are making a bunch of moolah off of them?
can't wait for jindal to get voted out and this little weasel to get fired.
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written by ragin_cajun , July 22, 2010 - 05:43 pm
Monopoly? There's private schools all over town! STM is one of the biggest high schools in town, it probably meets or exceeds his graduation goal, and he can't mention it?

If I wanted to fix public schools, I'd walk over to the closest private school and ask them how they do it. Has anybody ever tried that?

New Orleans schools aren't all crappy. There's some GREAT schools in New Orleans! They're private schools! Go ask them how they do it! You want Lafayette schools and LPSB to do a better job? Well then just run it like the Diocese runs the private schools. This is so easy.


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written by Walter Pierce , July 22, 2010 - 06:01 pm
I think you're oversimplifying things, ragin_cajun.
Private schools can be selective. They can, and do, turn away children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, and they're not required to follow state guidelines for meeting the needs of those children. That's why they're private.
If parochial schools were required to accept any child, regardless of learning ability or psychological issues, so long as that child's family could afford the tuition, private schools would be just as stressed as public schools. More so, in fact, because public school teachers are generally more qualified than private school teachers.
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written by really? , July 22, 2010 - 06:06 pm
ragin you are uninformed. if you want LPSB to run schools like the diocese, then they would get to kick kids out for any reason, pick and choose which kids to take, reject any child with an exceptionality, and refuse to give LEAP and other state tests (which the diocese does NOT do).
my niece attended a catholic school, but wanted to go to a public high school. she had to take the LEAP three times before she passed it. so take from that what you will.
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written by TheProblemIs , July 22, 2010 - 06:35 pm
The goal of the Jindal administration from day one was to gut the public school system while fostering the voucher system as well as expand charter schools. Pastorek was hired as the Jindal bully boy and has had no problem rewarding the legislators who have played his game. Pastorek and the administration cry about budget cuts and the Dept. of Ed. has had to lay workers off. But six figure income lackeys like Don Trahan, who pushed through the initial, door opening voucher and charter legislation, are quite secure in their positions (postion that was created for Trahan) because they were rewarded for jumping and dancing to the Jindal and Pastorek tune. Pastorek, by the way, is the highest paid statewide official with salary, benefit, and perks package of almost $450,000 yearly. No wonder he can afford to appear magnanimous by refusing his yearly increase of between $10 and $15,000. This sham is being perpetrated on the people of Louisiana, their public school system, and the Jindal/Pastorek education administration.
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written by TheProblemIs , July 22, 2010 - 06:55 pm
I apologize for my error. I meant to say that this sham is being perpetrated on the people of Louisiana and their public school system BY THE Jindal/Pastorek education administration.
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written by Unempirical Observer , July 22, 2010 - 08:09 pm
Would be interesting to know if there is some connection between the high drop-out rate (in spite of high LEAP achievement) and the past two decades of high economic output here in Lafayette Parish and Acadiana region, particularly with respect to the availability of well-paying jobs tied to mining and mineral extraction. Some of those jobs no doubt require advanced degrees, but many men and women can take on jobs that pay well in service and support, sales, direct roughnecking, and what have you, possibly without the need to complete high school, maybe with a GED though?

It would seem that education would be valued more highly in a place where determining success in life is more strictly tied to completing.

Just a thought, anyone have the data to show this?
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written by Saimar , July 22, 2010 - 08:53 pm
Not too long ago Lafayette was voted as one of the top "100 Cities in America". We were esp cited for our innovation. Yet our public school system in Lafayette currently ranks 19th in a state that ranks next to last in public education. I agree with Pastorek that Lafayette is well positioned to have a world class school system. However, that will never happen under the current LPSS administration. From the superintendent on down, the commitment and know-how do not exist to turn around our school system. LPSS continually rehires teachers and principals who have retired and then get rehired at bigger salaries. I'm told that about 128 people in the school system are "double dippers". These leaves little to no room to bring in young, educators with new ideas and energy. Currently, only 60% of the high school graduates from the LPSS even complete the TOPS core needed to be admitted to a four year university. LPSS brags about it's schools of choice, but these students are not being prepared for the future. While I am not a proponent of charter schools, the simple truth is that until we get new leadership the public schools in Lafayette will remain where they are in a state that ranks near the bottom.
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written by ragin_cajun , July 22, 2010 - 09:20 pm
Unempirical Observer--

No data, but I think you're on to something. None of my friends went to college, and to this day, they all make more money than me and will all tell you I wasted my time and money going to UL.

So from personal experience, I'd certainly agree that high paying jobs in the oil industry keep people out of college. High school? Hard to say.

Walter--

Perhaps you make my point. Public schools were once WAY more selective than they are now. I remember when I was very young the push to "mainstream" handicapped kids and put them into the same schools as every other kid.

Maybe public schools should separate handicapped kids and give them specialized training and education--like they used to? Maybe kids with psychological issues need specialized instruction from teachers trained and prepared to deal with that--that's what public schools used to do, right? Wasn't that what LaRosen was? Maybe public schools should be able to kick kids out--like they used to? If these are the things that make private schools more successful, why not emulate that in the public schools? Especially if we can look back to a time when public schools did all these things and were more successful.




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written by Get It Done , July 22, 2010 - 09:43 pm
Let's turn the corner on public education this year. We can have a new School Board who will select a new Superintendent in 2011. Then let's take advantage of the new legislation that allows waivers of state regs and laws if it will improve student performance. That's the equivilent of 41 charter schools without dismantling the good that we have within the current system. If the community unites we can achieve 95 percent graduation rate within 8 years. Otherwise, we won't because there is no present expectation that it can happen much less a plan to do so. It's time. Let's quit trash talking and get it done.
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written by Geoff Daily , July 22, 2010 - 10:11 pm
I wonder how many of the critical commenters here actually attended Wed's event?

I admit I'm new to Lafayette and Louisiana but I found Pastorek to be inspirational. His attitude is that teachers need to be held accountable for their performance, that schools will run better and achieve better student performance if given greater latitude, and that the top-down management structure of school boards stifles innovation. I agree with all of those things.

For the critics of Pastorek, are you really suggesting that the answer to bettering Lafayette's school system is more administration? Or do we want to empower our principals and teachers?

Now, I can't say I necessarily support the Jindal administration's overall approach to education as I'm really only familiar with the presentation I saw last night. But I'd be hard pressed to see how anyone who actually listened to what Pastorek had to say could be against him, unless you think the way to improvement is to maintain the status quo.

And while I don't know anyone on the current school board, I'm extremely excited to see what's going to happen coming out of this election cycle as it seemed like most of the candidates who attended last night were serious-minded and dedicated to true reform that can achieve real results.
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written by Dean Landry , July 23, 2010 - 01:59 am
www.electdeanlandry.com
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written by Morrow , July 23, 2010 - 01:36 pm
A LEADER IN WHAT???? DROP OUT RATES????

Half the kids who enter the public school system in Lafayette parish do not graduate. The SCHOOL SYSTEM needs to concentrate on educating students and providing them with an educagtion that will result in a high school diploma. BUT WHEN KIDS HAVE TO BRING THEIR OWN TOILET TISSUE TO SCHOOL, that's when you know their education really is in the crapper!
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written by really? , July 23, 2010 - 01:37 pm
ragin, what you suggest is ILLEGAL. there are federal and stat laws that make it illegal to segregate kids who are handicapped, as you put it. it has also been found to be unconstitutional.

as a teacher in a nearby system, i have been getting a pretty good laugh out of all of these comments. most of these people don't know jack about education, adn i include the grand mr. pastorek in that number. he's a lawyer, not an educator, and has never taught a class ever, in his life. the data is all there for anyone to see. you can believe what he says in his many flashy powerpoints or you can look at the data yourself and see if he is telling the truth or not.
i submit to you all that if you look at the DATA, you will see he is not telling teh truth.
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written by ragin_cajun , July 23, 2010 - 03:30 pm
really?--

Was it always illegal? When did the law change? Am I correct that in the late 70's and early 80's, handicapped children were separated out and sent to specialized schools? Now that they're not, that must make it harder on teachers.

You're right--I know nothing about education. You're a teacher, so teach me. Or at least paste a few links to websites where I can read about all this.

Why do our schools suck? Do they suck, or are they pretty good?
Does LPSB do as good as can be expected, or do they suck, too?
Is a 95% graduation rate a realistic goal? What is the graduation rate of a "good" school system?
Where are "good" school systems that we should use as a benchmark? Houston?
Is graduation rate a good measurement of a school system's success?
What about LEAP tests? Do they tell us anything?
Are Lafayette teachers good, or do we, like the state, need higher quality teachers?
Can motivated kids get a good education in a crappy school system?
Are private schools in Lafayette better or worse than public schools in Lafayette? Why? Do private school kids "do better", make more money, go to college more often? Should we even care?
Should we model public schools after private schoos? If not, why?
Why are New Orleans schools so bad, and did Pastorek make them any better when he was there?
Do kids today get a better or worse education than they did in the 50's, 60's, 70's, or 80's?
And what is a "quality education" anyway? Because I don't think job skills are the role of an education system. What about cognitive skills? You know, like conceptualizing and abstract thinking? Can you even teach that to kids, or is it like athletic ability--you either have it or you don't.
If it's OK to have a "gifted program" to match gifted students' educational needs, how is a "handicapped" program wrong--or illegal, which is not the same as wrong.
How do public schools deal with kids with learning disabilities and handicaps, and do you think it's effective? What about disruptive kids with behavior problems? How are they dealt with? Can they be expelled?
Does small class size work? Hefner said not really. What do you say?
Are teachers overpaid or underpaid? If teachers made twice as much money, would we get better teachers, and better schools?
Are Lafayette teachers unionized? If so, is that good thing or a bad thing?

And the most important question of all--and PLEASE answer. If you were in charge and could do whatever you wanted, what changes would YOU make to the public school system.
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written by Get It Done , July 23, 2010 - 05:34 pm
Pastorek is a change agent. School Systems are change resistent. Let's look at the data. Since 2002, Lafayette's District Performance scores have declined. We graduate 68% of our students from high school which means that 32% don't graduate. That's one out of three students that do not graduate. Sadly that's just one percentage point higher than the state graduation rate. But if you're an African American male in Lafayette, only one out of two graduate.

Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the country. It corresponds to our drop out rate. The Lafayette Parish School System does NOT have a plan to increase graduation rates to 95%. There are currently 35 high poverty, high performance (90% of each) schools in Louisiana. None are in Lafayette Parish though our neighbors in St. Landry and Evangeline can make that claim. What's wrong? Low expectations and no comprehensive plan.

Solution. New School Board and new Superintendent with a plan to increase graduation rates and grade level performance to 95% for all students within 8 years. Pastorek says it can be done. Data from our own Picard Center for Early Childhood Development confirms that it can be done.

It's time to GET IT DONE!
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written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , July 23, 2010 - 06:52 pm
AY WALTER, I RATHER HAVE A KID IN LPSC,REASON
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written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , July 23, 2010 - 06:58 pm
Again WALTER, I'd rather have a dumb kid, than to know i supported, The PEDOPHILE PRIEST RETIREMENT LODGE !
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written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , July 23, 2010 - 07:29 pm
Most of us are born with the ability to learn, to absorb, to retain that which is taught to us, by our parents, our schools and our workplace, but not every one one of us, will be hungry for knowledge, not every one of us will develope the necessary traits, those traits that spring up to mold against the nucleus, "the only person who will ever obtain the luxuries, available in life, are the lucky ones who purchased the lucky LOTTO TICKET, AND FOR THOSE WHO SETTLE FOR THE BASIC OBAMA CARE PACKAGES, LINE=UP AT THE WELFARE OFFICE.............
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written by Stephen May , July 23, 2010 - 07:36 pm
Note to "The Problem Is" regarding his / her comment about Superintendent Pastorek: you’re certainly entitled to your opinions but readers should know that your claim that "Pastorek was hired as Jindal's bully boy" is not correct or is at least misleading. Paul Pastorek was hired not by Jindal(R) but by his predecessor, Gov. Kathleen Blanco(D). Also, in another comment, "The Problem Is" asserts that "Pastorek and the administration cry about budget cuts." In fact, had the writer been at the 705 event where Pastorek spoke Wednesday night, he / she would have heard the Superintendent say he favors no increases in education spending to achieve his goal and objectives.
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written by Limbaugh Lover , July 24, 2010 - 12:02 pm
The fastest and quickest way to improve Lafayette's education system is to give the Northside of town to St. Landry Parish...
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written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , July 26, 2010 - 03:34 am
Northsidians are strongly against being annexed by St. Landry Parish! Reason being : The Drugs In The Southside of Lafayette Are Better Quality........Especially in the Southside Schools, where all the kids drive their jacked up Pick-ups to their Personalized Parking Place !
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