New Orleans Ranks #1 in the USA for School Choice

New Orleans is the best city in America for “school choice,” according to a new study from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.  In determining that New Orleans is the most choice-friendly, the Institute considered three factors that, “taken together, provide a robust and multifaceted picture of school choice (defined inclusively—charters, vouchers, magnets, etc.) in a given city:”  1) Political Support; 2) Policy Environment; 3) Quantity and Quality of Choices.

The study concludes with:  “Our hope is that cities across the country will look at these rankings and work to catch up with New Orleans, Washington, and Denver [the top 1-3]. (Although reformers love to bicker over which of this trio may be the “best” model for school reform, all three tower over the rest.) But we’re keenly aware that progress is not necessarily a permanent condition. New York City, in particular, reminds us that this whole enterprise can be buffeted by shifts in the political winds.”

You can read more and find the full study here.