what is your take on Louisiana's schools and education? (Kinder: best schools, college)

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by ceejamon

In Caddo Parish, terrible. I made it through 12 years of school in Caddo Parish without being diagnosed as dyslexic. I didn't discover it until college. My teachers basically gave up on me and just passed me along. Thankfully, I was bright and eventually taught myself to read and then I played catch-up for several years and was "on level" by high school. The magnet schools get all the smart kids and the rest are shuffled along to graduation. There's some discussion of Caddo Parish schools in the Adjusting to Shreveport thread.

Surpisingly I was just looking online, and in 2002, some Caddo Parish schools were #1 and #2 in the state. That's not saying much, is it!?

By the way, don't feel bad, I went through school my entire life without anyone ever catching onto the fact that I have high-functioning autism and multiple types of ADHD. That's not too surprising in Louisiana's schools. And like you, I was often just socially promoted just because they couldn't keep me in a certain grade any longer. One of my teachers in my senior year of high school told me I needed an 85% on a certain test in order to graduate. Surprisingly, I made exactly 85% on that test. Hmmm... what a coincidence! lol

[Rainbow Island]

Originally Posted by SBCmetroguy

Surpisingly I was just looking online, and in 2002, some Caddo Parish schools were #1 and #2 in the state. That's not saying much, is it!?

By the way, don't feel bad, I went through school my entire life without anyone ever catching onto the fact that I have high-functioning autism and multiple types of ADHD. That's not too surprising in Louisiana's schools. And like you, I was often just socially promoted just because they couldn't keep me in a certain grade any longer. One of my teachers in my senior year of high school told me I needed an 85% on a certain test in order to graduate. Surprisingly, I made exactly 85% on that test. Hmmm... what a coincidence! lol

Hey Metro, You don't feel bad either. I went through school without too many people noticing that I didn't give a rat's @55. I hated school. If it wasn't for the girls, I would have bailed out way early. I only had to go half a day my senior year. I made it til 3 months before graduation and gave it up. Real smart Huh? I did get the GED thingie though.

[stacieberry]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Island

Hey Metro, You don't feel bad either. I went through school without too many people noticing that I didn't give a rat's @55. I hated school. If it wasn't for the girls, I would have bailed out way early. I only had to go half a day my senior year. I made it til 3 months before graduation and gave it up. Real smart Huh? I did get the GED thingie though.

You were smart enough to get your GED! So you can be to bad off and of course you are friends with me so that means you are doing great now! LOL

[TexasMama]

We moved to the Alexandria area from the DFW, Texas area about 6 months ago for my husband's job. I was not impressed with the schools here, so we decided to homeschool. One of the best decisions we ever made.

[houstonreadhead]

Hey,

I'm a teacher. I'm currently teaching in China; when I do move back to the US in July 2010, I want to move to Lafayette. I can't imagine the public schools in Lafayette being worse than the schools in Houston where I taught for six years.

Does anyone have information about schools in LPSS? From what little reseach I have done, it seems like Lafayette High, Paul Breaux Middle, or LJ Alleman Middle are good schools. (I'm secondary qualified.)

Feel free to send me a private message if you're from Lafayette. I can use all the information and contacts I can get at this point.

Thanks for helping,
Scott

[Innotech]

I went to Lafayette high. It is an excellent school with some very excellent teachers and staff. The football team was absolutely terrible though when I went there. The math department was pretty good, as was the english department. There were excellent French language classes as well. All in all a great school and very much out of the norm for a Louisiana school. I also went to Acadian middle School on the northside, and I have to say, while osme teachers there were actually very good, it isnt going to win any awards or anything. there was al ot of trouble brewing there, and lots of fighting in the halls and cafeteria. It was alot better when I attended though than it is now. the elementary school behind it, Evangeline, is actually pretty good so it is a noticeable contrast. Northside high has a bad reputation ,but Ive heard it is not as bad as people make it out to be.

I also want to add that Schools like Paul Breaux and Lafayette high have honors programs, which is a different set of curriculums than normal and on a more advanced level. Paul Breaux is in the middle of a rather seedy neighborhood, so you wouldnt expect such a program to flourish there, but it does. These honors programs are quite outstanding by Louisiana standards and I highly recommend getting a child tested to attend them if you can. Its worth it. It will also give you a very decisive advantage if you attend, for example, UL Lafayette. There is an honors program there as well. You CAN find good school in Louisiana, if you do the research and take the time to test into them.

[stacieberry]

Farmerville elementary is not worth anything! About a month ago I had a meeting with my son's teacher, principal and a lady with the special ed department I showed them my son's diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and told them to put it in his IEP and gave them the names of all his meds and stuff he was taking to have a health plan written up. Last Friday I went to his IEP meeting they still had not done anything. They never called me back to give me the info they were supposed to or anything. I am so mad. They do not do anything they say they will. I even wrote the governor about this. How can they take a child's education so lightly?

[houstonreadhead]

Thanks Innotech. Good information and what I want to hear. I do have a contact at Breaux whom I'm supposed to meet this summer, so it's really nice to hear that Breaux has it together. I'm also thrilled to hear about LHS.

Do you or anyone else on this forum know any LPSS teachers that I could chat with?

Scott

Originally Posted by Innotech

I went to Lafayette high. It is an excellent school with some very excellent teachers and staff. The football team was absolutely terrible though when I went there. The math department was pretty good, as was the english department. There were excellent French language classes as well. All in all a great school and very much out of the norm for a Louisiana school. I also went to Acadian middle School on the northside, and I have to say, while osme teachers there were actually very good, it isnt going to win any awards or anything. there was al ot of trouble brewing there, and lots of fighting in the halls and cafeteria. It was alot better when I attended though than it is now. the elementary school behind it, Evangeline, is actually pretty good so it is a noticeable contrast. Northside high has a bad reputation ,but Ive heard it is not as bad as people make it out to be.

I also want to add that Schools like Paul Breaux and Lafayette high have honors programs, which is a different set of curriculums than normal and on a more advanced level. Paul Breaux is in the middle of a rather seedy neighborhood, so you wouldnt expect such a program to flourish there, but it does. These honors programs are quite outstanding by Louisiana standards and I highly recommend getting a child tested to attend them if you can. Its worth it. It will also give you a very decisive advantage if you attend, for example, UL Lafayette. There is an honors program there as well. You CAN find good school in Louisiana, if you do the research and take the time to test into them.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Louisiana has some great public schools. I know Neville, Sterlington, and Ouachita are good around here and every metro has good suburban schools. In rural areas, its give and take. Union Parish doesn't have the best-- as well as other rural parishes and poorer area in cities. I think its a national problem-- not a Louisiana problem. Wealthier states will have better schools..

[Tigger81]

Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71

I think its a national problem-- not a Louisiana problem.

This is true.

As for diagnosing students with special needs, as well as providing services: it costs the system a LOT of money to do this, and they do not make it easy for this to happen. The parents REALLY have to advocate for their children or the child falls through the cracks. This is not how it SHOULD be, but it's the reality - all over the country.

And as a teacher, from what I have seen, the single most important aspect in how well a child does educationally is the level of parental support. A child with supportive parents can thrive just about anywhere and a child with poor parental support can fail just about anywhere. Obviously, ALL children have a far better chance at success if the school is providing a quality, well-rounded education than if it is an unorganized mess.