The long-simmering disagreement between Lusher and Audubon charter schools over which should be allowed to move into the Allen School building when Sci High moves out flared up Thursday afternoon, when a formal request by Lusher for a promise for the building reached the Orleans Parish School Board’s property committee.

The request filled the small committee room with supporters of both programs, but the 45-minute conversation was dominated by Audubon supporters’ arguments that their need for the school is greater — technically, both of Audubon’s campuses are currently in “temporary” facilities. The OPSB committee members, however, had little interest in wading into the fight, saying any move by Sci High is so far in the future that it makes little sense to argue about it now. Continue reading »

Allegations that a teacher at Lafayette Academy provided standardized-test answers to students were found to be unsubstantiated by an attorney the Choice Foundation board hired to investigate, but the board has refused to make any report on the investigation public, according to a report by Jessica Williams of The Lens.

Nobert Estrella, who led the International School of Louisiana’s Olivier Street campus in Algiers through its first year and this year became the first principal of the school’s new Jefferson Parish expansion, will resign next week and become a Spanish teacher at Helen Cox, according to a report at Nola.com. Estrella described “philosophical differences” and Head of Schools Sean Wilson called it Estrella’s “personal decision,” according to the report, which notes that family liaison Jessica Rodriguez will also be stepping down.

At the Nov. 28 meeting of the International School board, Wilson reported that the Jefferson Parish’s middle school was experiencing both disciplinary and academic issues that needed immediate attention. Classrooms were to be made smaller and teachers were to be retrained, Wilson said. Estrella was present at the meeting but did not speak about the issues at the time.