News -> INDReporter FRI, MAR 4 12:19PM by Heather Miller

Group tries again for charter school in St. Landry

The same nonprofit that tried to open a charter school in Lafayette Parish at N.P. Moss has applied to open a charter school in Opelousas aimed at recruiting high-poverty, at-risk students.

The Outreach Community Development Corporation announces in a press release that it has submitted its application to the St. Landry Parish School Board for JS Clark Leadership Academy, a type 1 charter school that will offer longer school days, technology-heavy teaching and project-based learning methods.

Type 1 charter schools are approved by the school board and receive a portion of the school system’s per pupil funding, which is one reason for the long-standing tensions between charter school applicants and local school boards charged with funding public education.

OCDC was denied a type 1 charter in North Lafayette and also was denied a type 2 charter by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. A type 2 charter gets its per-pupil funding directly from the state and also can tap in to local property and sales tax revenues.

The previous charter application showed strengths in the group’s project-based learning approach and its focus on technology, according to a report in The Advocate, but didn't offer enough details on how the school would accommodate special needs students.

“With over half of the school within the city limits of Opelousas failing and on the Academic Watch list, a choice is very much needed for parents and students who are dissatisfied with the St. Landry Parish School Board and it efforts to educate students in not only a quality facility but with a quality education,” says Tiffanie Lewis, executive director for OCDC. “A charter school provides the flexibility necessary to offer at-risk, high-poverty students a new and innovative way of learning with a highly qualified and loving staff that strongly believes all students are expected to achieve at their highest potential.”

If approved, the JS Clark Academy school year will be about two weeks longer than St. Landry Parish’s school year. The school will begin with fifth through seventh grades and will continue to add grades every year until it reaches 12th grades.

Comments (4)add
...
written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN. , March 10, 2011 - 04:20 am
I wonder what is the level of experience of the teachers of this JS Clark Academy, school. The teaching personnel will come from where, and with what credentials to teach students with learning disabilities. One can be sure of one thing Tifannie Lewis will be feathering her "NEST with Federal or State Grant Monies........
...
written by TRUTH , March 10, 2011 - 06:41 pm
I don't think that is the case especially being that when she was at Northside and ran their Freshman Academy her and the teachers that she worked with was able to get Northside out of corrective action. Ever since she left their grades have dropped. Check the state department website. Oh, I don't think she needs money. Her current employement for Pastoreck pays her plenty and her husband has his own business check your facts before you print trash
...
written by Northsidian Shotgun , March 11, 2011 - 05:48 am
Trash must be aired to dissipate the odor....
Now why would Mrs. Lewis leave her ultra-highlevel, income position of employment with the man who has directed the downhill slide of education in our state ? Being that she is an employee of Pastorek, would she be privileged to having learned pastorek's formula which can be attributed to the decline of our children's educational system ?
...
written by TRUTH , March 11, 2011 - 04:31 pm
Stop hatin you just mad because you don't have the education or know how to accomplish what she has so far. Oh did you see her on the news yesterday. She rocked that report you go girl!!!!!!!!!!!
You must be logged in to post a comment. Log in using your Facebook account or register if you do not have an account yet.

busy 
LA LA Land
Advertisement
Most Read
Advertisement
Advertisement
in case you missed it