Jefferson Parish Public Schools is a school district based in Harvey in unincorporated Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. [1] [2] The district operates all district public schools in Jefferson Parish and covers the entire parish. [3] As of 2019 it had 50,582 students, making it the largest public school system in the state. [4]
In 1981 it had about 61,000 students and 75 schools. By 2012 it had 81 schools but about 46,000. That year there was a proposal to close seven schools. [5] Of the nine the Jefferson Parish School Board members, eight voted in favor of the closures and one voted against. [6] The projected number of students to be moved was about 2,000. [7]
In the 2014–2015 school year the district had 48,126 students, 1,467 students (3%) higher than the enrollment of the previous school year. There were a total of 5,634 English Language Learners (ELL) students as part of the overall student enrollment for 2014–2015, and that had increased by about 1,200 (28%). Most of the additional students for 2014-2015 were Hispanic, and of them, most were Honduran. According to ELL director Karina Castillo the East Bank had more of the new students than the West Bank. [8]
James K. Glassman of The Atlantic wrote in 1978 that the school system was of the same quality as that of New Orleans even though Jefferson Parish was wealthier than New Orleans; Glassman described Jefferson Parish as "one of the most poorly run rich counties in the United States." [9]
In October 2009, the release of annual school performance scores by the Louisiana Department of Education revealed that Jefferson Parish's public school system posted its largest-ever increase in performance score, to 78.4, though the performance score remained significantly below the state average of 91. [10] In 2011, according to state accountability rules, the district made a "D" grade. This increased to a "C" in 2012, and then a "B" on 2013, giving it the 36th highest score of the school districts in the state. [11] This score applies to the 2012–2013 school year. [12] Its Louisiana performance score was 85.9 of 150. In 2014 it continued having a "B" ranking, with its performance being 87.2 of 150. [13]
By 2012 the district established a policy stating that if a principal does not reach academic goals in three years, the principal will be removed. In 2012 15 principals lost their jobs over this policy. [14]
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As of 2014 teachers who have large numbers of bilingual students and are fluent in either Spanish, Arabic, and Vietnamese may receive a $3,000 annual stipend and/or a $2,000 signing bonus. [15]
Previously the district had an administrative building in Marrero for people living in the West Bank of the parish. It was proposed for closure and consolidation into the Harvey headquarters in 2012. [16]
The teachers previously had a collective bargaining agreement but it expired in 2012. [17] The school board did not wish to renew it. The Teacher Voice Advisory Council was created in 2013. [18]
Previously the school district headquarters were in Gretna. [19]
(unzoned)
East Bank:
West Bank:
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Unzoned
Zoned
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They were: [6]
Jefferson Parish is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 440,781. Its parish seat is Gretna, its largest community is Metairie, and its largest incorporated city is Kenner. Jefferson Parish is included in the Greater New Orleans area.
Avondale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 4,582 in 2020. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area.
Bridge City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It was established in the 1930s during the construction of the Huey P. Long Bridge over the Mississippi River. The town is located on the south side of the river. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area.
Elmwood is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The population was 4,635 at the 2010 census, and 5,649 in 2020. Elmwood was part of neighboring Jefferson's census area from 1960 to 1990. The ZIP Code serving Elmwood is 70123.
Estelle is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 17,952 in 2020. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area.
Gretna is the second-largest city in, and parish seat of, Jefferson Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Gretna lies on the west bank of the Mississippi River, just east and across the river from uptown New Orleans. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The population was 17,814 at the 2020 U.S. census.
Harvey is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. Harvey is on the south side of the Mississippi River, within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The majority-minority population was 20,348 at the 2010 census, down from 22,226 at the 2000 census. The 2020 census determined 22,236 people lived in the CDP.
Jefferson is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the north side of the Mississippi River. Jefferson is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The population was 11,193 at the 2010 census, and 10,533 in 2020. It is often known by locals as "Old Jefferson", but should not be confused with Old Jefferson in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.
Kenner is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the most populous city in Jefferson Parish, and is the largest incorporated suburban city of New Orleans. The population was 66,448 at the 2020 census, making it the sixth-most populous city in Louisiana.
Marrero is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. Marrero is on the south side of the Mississippi River, within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The population was 32,382 at the 2020 U.S. census.
Terrytown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is on the "Westbank" of the Mississippi River. It is a suburb within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The population was 23,319 at the 2010 census, and 25,278 in 2020.
Waggaman is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. Waggaman is on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area. The population was 9,835 at the 2020 census. The area was named for U.S. Senator George Augustus Waggaman (1782–1843).
Westwego is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located in Jefferson Parish. It is a suburban community of New Orleans in the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area and lies along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population of the city of Westwego was 8,568 at the 2020 United States census.
Woodmere is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,080 at the 2010 census, and 11,238 at the 2020 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner metropolitan statistical area.
John Ehret High School is a four-year public high school serving grades 9–12 located in unincorporated Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, near the Marrero census-designated place. The school, a part of the Jefferson Parish Public Schools, has an attendance boundary that includes several communities. Its service area includes portions of the City of Gretna, and portions of Marrero CDP, Harvey, Estelle, Timberlane, and Woodmere.
Helen Cox High School was a high school located in Harvey, in unincorporated area Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States.
West Jefferson High School, also known as WJHS, and West Jeff is a public high school located in Harvey in unincorporated Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, just outside New Orleans. It was founded in 1955. This is one of the schools in Jefferson Parish that offered the Laptop one to one initiative program. West Jefferson also offers transportation for students to and from school for free. This is a Title I school
Jefferson Parish Library (JPL) is the library system of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. It has its headquarters in the East Bank Regional Library in Metairie, an unincorporated area in the parish.
