Choice Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, was founded by James M. Huger in 2004 to promote school choice issues in Louisiana. He and the cohort of founding trustees believe that parents should have the flexibility to choose the right school for their children. No child should be condemned to stay in a neighborhood school that does not meet the needs of the child.

 

Following Hurricane Katrina, as the state of Louisiana stepped in to take over New Orleans struggling schools, Choice Foundation applied for a Recovery School District charter, and was awarded the charter for Lafayette Academy. The school currently has 820 students in grades Pre-K - 7 and will expand to 8th grade in 2012-2013. In June of 2010 Choice Foundation was awarded the charter to take over Esperanza Charter School. Esperanza has 420 students in grades K-8. Following on the successful takeover of those two fully-enrolled schools, Choice Foundation was awarded a third charter to take over McDonogh #42 Charter School in July 2012. McDonogh #42 has 550 students.

 

Each of our schools is open enrollment. That is, there are no selection criteria, and we admit any student for whom we have an open seat. All of our schools are "takeovers of takeovers." That is, each school was operated by another organization, and we were assigned the school by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education after successfully negotiating a rigorous application process. All of our schools serve high poverty populations almost exclusively (90%+ at each school), and all schools provide special education services.

 

The school design model initiated at Lafayette Academy is applied at Esperanza Charter and McDonogh #42 Charter. Mathematically expressed, the model is

Total Instructional Alignment
+Date-Informed Decision-Making
+Extensive Student and Family Support
A Choice Foundation School.

 

In brief, Choice Foundation schools are thoroughly focused on aligning every resource, every teacher, and every activity with rigorous educational standards. We use data of all sorts throughout our operations to make sure that every decision is made in the best interests of our students. And, we provide as much school- and community-based support as we can to serve the needs of our students and their families.

 

Using that model fully, Lafayette Academy has seen tremendous growth in student achievement, and it has garnered much recognition for the improvements. That recognition includes:

Knowing that the model works for our students, we look forward to watching our students grow and seeing the opportunities for their futures change profoundly.

 

Choice Foundation is dedicating all of its energy to provide management expertise and resources to allow Lafayette Academy, Esperanza Charter, and McDonogh #42 to fulfill its mission to "prepare its students to achieve his or her highest potential."

 

 

                                                       Lafayette Academy               Esperanza Charter

                                                        • 2007 – 38.6                        • 2010 – 48.4

                                                        • 2008 – 58.8                        • 2011 – 61.5

                                                        • 2009 – 63.8

                                                        • 2010 – 77.3

                                                        • 2011 – 88.5