Beltway Confidential

The charter solution

By Jason Russell
Published July 27, 2015 4:01am ET
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The charter solution
Before Katrina, barely more than half of New Orleans students graduated. In the 2013-14 school year, three out of four graduated -- right in line with Louisiana's statewide graduation rate. (AP photo) | ALEX BRANDON

NEW ORLEANS — In the early morning hours of Aug. 29, 2005, Tom and Carolyn Crosby drove through the night to their cottage by Florida’s Gulf Coast to escape Hurricane Katrina. At 6 a.m., they arrived, turned on the television and found good news: The worst of the hurricane was supposed to miss New Orleans.

They went to sleep, ready to drive straight back to New Orleans as soon as possible to reopen their charter school, the International School of Louisiana. But at 2 p.m., they awoke to terrible news.

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Tag:

Charter Schools Commentary FEMA Hurricanes Jason Russell Minusextra New Orleans School Choice