With rising test scores and strong finances, the International School of Louisiana stands to fare well when its charter comes back up for renewal in two years, a state official told the school board Wednesday evening.
For the 2011-2012 school year, ISL’s scores earned the school a performance score of 118.5, a B grade just two points shy of an A under the current system. The grading scale will shift this year — with schools receiving less credit for struggling students but more credit for those who show improvement — but the growth shown by ISL exceeded expectations, said Marian Schutte of the Louisiana Department of Education.
ISL’s charter is up for renewal in 2015, and under new guidelines approved by the state, it will be evaluated in terms of both its organizational strength and financial health, Schutte said. Overall, however, the school is currently showing no red flags, she said told the ISL board in a visit to their monthly meeting.
“We think you guys are in a great position,” Schutte said.
Meanwhile, ISL is finalizing the details of its expansion to a new satellite campus nearby on Thalia Street, wrapping up negotiations on the lease, said Head of School Sean Wilson. Using the building as a school will require a conditional use from the city, so school leaders plan to meet with City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell’s office to see what will be required to obtain that, Wilson said.
Converting the office building to classrooms will take most of the summer, so ISL administrators are also making arrangements for students in case the building is not ready on the first day of school, he said.
Growth is continuing at both of ISL’s other campuses as well. Modular buildings were delivered to the Algiers campus on Tuesday, and the lease for the Bunche campus goes before the Jefferson Parish School Board on April 2.
To read our live coverage of the meeting, please see below.
Who is Marian Schutte and how can she possibly say that this school is doing well? Its a SELECTIVE ADMISSION school – and they have an SPS of 118??? That is pitiful. The DOE is clearly confused – ISL accepts many students from outside of Orleans Parish (despite the fact that they occupy an OPSB owned facility), select students based on test scores and then can’t even get an “A” – this school should be placed on probation and then closed if they don’t see some dramatic gains very soon. I’m not sure what their special ed percentage is, but I would bet its far below the district average for public schools. Of course their finances should be in great shape – they don’t pay rent and they don’t provide transportation. All of that plus the donations they collect from parents who would otherwise send their kids to private schools must give them a very healthy cash flow.
It always amazes me when people voice opinions about situations of which
they have no real knowledge. Reformwatcher….let me state this in all
caps so you can fully understand the statement…..THERE ARE NO
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS TO ATTEND ISL. Unlike other charter schools that do have selective admissions, no academic tests or grades are used for admission to ISL. Because it is a full, language
immersion school, students entering Kindergarten and 1st grade must
demonstrate a language readiness proficiency so that they will be
successful in a class that is only taught in Spanish or French.
Students entering grade 2 through 8 must demonstrate Spanish or French
mastery BECAUSE the school is a fully language immersion program. This
school is a Type 2 Charter school which REQUIRES the school to be open
to ANY resident of the state of Louisiana so yes, ISL does have students
from many different parishes. Please also remember, that students at
ISL are taught in Spanish or French but are ONLY TESTED IN ENGLISH on
the iLEAP and LEAP. The school score of 118 is primarily based on the
results of these tests. I would suggest that if you consider 118 a
“pitiful” score for a school that is not “selective admission”, is open
to every student in the state of Louisiana, and teaches students in a
different language but tests them in English, you need to do much more
research and get your facts correct before commenting on something of
which you obviously have little knowledge.