Going BOLD-ly Into a New School Year: How Investments in School-based Professional Learning Are Advancing Equity in Louisiana Schools

A coalition of districts and schools serving high-need students in Louisiana are partnering with the nonprofit National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) to increase equitable access to effective educators for students in high-poverty schools.

Through a five-year 2016 federal Teacher Incentive Fund grant, called the LA BOLD (Building On Leadership Development) project, NIET is equipping teachers across five public school districts – DeSoto, East Feliciana, Madison, Rapides, and St. John the Baptist Parishes – as well as six Orleans Parish charter schools: Lord Beaconsfield Landry-Oliver Perry Walker High School, Martin Berhman Charter Academy, McDonogh 35 College Preparatory Academy, Dwight D. Eisenhower Charter School, Mary McCleod Bethune School of Literature and Technology, and Ben Franklin Elementary Mathematics and Science School.

The partners' investments in collaborative learning teams and classroom-based coaching by teacher leaders are increasing teacher and principal effectiveness, leading to stronger retention and leadership development, and accelerating student learning growth.