Enhancing Education in Jefferson Parish

Public education has a profound impact on so many aspects of a community’s overall quality of life. The preparedness of the workforce, the community’s appeal to businesses that are looking to relocate or expand, the community’s overall sociological health, and even the level of crime are all influenced by the quality of its public school system. Especially relevant to the Jefferson EDGE 2020 initiative is the fact that public education can play a major role in a family’s decision to live in a particular community. Recent national research indicates that a high quality school system is one of the three most important factors in assessing an area’s appeal. In light of this evidence and given the manifold benefits of a quality public education system, Jefferson Parish must strive for better, more competitive public schools.

A comparative analysis of Jefferson Parish Public Schools (JPPS) and other school systems reveals that there is ample room for improvement. Along any number of objective measures, student performance in Jefferson Parish lags behind other communities in the metropolitan area as well as the state as a whole. Most notably, at all grade levels and in all subject categories, the mean LEAP (Louisiana Education Assessment Program) test scores in Jefferson fall below the statewide averages. Various other measures confirm the need for academic improvement.

These student achievement data carry with them a number of implications for the future prosperity of the parish. In an increasingly knowledge based economy, a highly educated, highly skilled workforce is essential both to the success of extant businesses and to business recruitment efforts. Furthermore, there is a strong, well documented correlation between the education level of a community and its overall sociological health. For instance, individuals who succeed academically (as measured by a number of statistics, such as graduation rate) are substantially less likely to commit crimes than those who do not succeed in school. The academic achievement gap between Jefferson and “competitor” communities thus jeopardizes the stability and prosperity that have been the hallmark of Jefferson Parish for decades.

Fortunately, the educational leadership in Jefferson Parish acknowledges this achievement gap and the need for an aggressive, transformative action plan. Over the past five years, new magnet schools and themed schools have been created; state of the art technology has been implemented; internal accountability has been strengthened; and curricula have been diversified and improved. The list of new, well–conceived programs that the Superintendent and School Board have initiated over the past several years is truly comprehensive. Nonetheless, additional community engagement and further measures are needed to affect a renaissance in public education in the parish.

View the full list of public education improvements

Public Education Status Report 1, March 2009 (PDF - 9 Pages - 610 KB)

Public Education Status Report 2, October 2009 (PDF - 10 Pages - 469 KB)

Download the full strategic implementation plan

Jefferson EDGE 2020 Strategic Implementation Plan - Public Education Report (PDF - 2.3 MB)