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Policy Stories Discussion

The Politics of Institutional Reform

Why was New Orleans able to radically reform its public school system?

Responses

The hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans created conditions that allowed for the local school system to be completely overhauled and transformed. Traditional models of funding and operation disallowed for smaller numbers of students and teachers to resume their work along with damaged infrastructure. The whole economy of the area was also completely changed, allowing for multiple groups and institutions to come in and fill the gaps that were created as a result of the destruction.

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