BGR Examines Contracting by 5 School Boards

OVERVIEW This report is intended to help New Orleans voters make an informed decision on whether to approve a new 5-mill, 20-year property tax dedicated to programs and capital investments that provide childcare and educational opportunities for children who have not yet entered kindergarten.

OVERVIEW This week, the Orleans Parish School Board will consider three policy changes that would strengthen NOLA Public Schools’ financial accountability measures and support the district’s financial sustainability. The changes address financial oversight of closing charter schools, public funding returned from closed schools and the district’s use of its General Fund reserves. The proposed policies, […]

OVERVIEW Learning Curve: A Guide to Navigating School Funding in New Orleans’ Unified District presents a comprehensive explanation of K-12 public education funding since the unification of the city’s school system under the Orleans Parish School Board.  

Overview Questions for a New Parish Council is the second in a two-part 2019 Candidate Q&A Election Series providing the views of candidates for Jefferson Parish government on important public policy issues, such as tax dedications and contracting. Questions for a New Parish Council provides voters with the candidates’ answers to 16 questions developed from […]

Overview Questions for a New Parish President is the first in a two-part 2019 Candidate Q&A Election Series providing the views of candidates for Jefferson Parish president on important public policy issues affecting Parish government. Questions for a New Parish President provides voters with the candidates’ answers to 16 questions developed from BGR’s body of […]

Overview The report analyzes a May 4, 2019 tax proposition in Jefferson Parish for a new 7.9-mill tax to fund pay raises for teachers and other school employees. The new tax would run for 10 years, beginning in 2019. It is expected to generate $28.8 million in the first year. If voters approve the tax, […]

OVERVIEW This report is the latest installment in BGR’s Candidate Q&A Election Series. The new report consolidates and reissues the responses of the newly elected City of New Orleans mayor and councilmembers who completed BGR’s surveys last fall on important issues facing City government. We encourage citizens to revisit the issues by reviewing the BGR […]

Overview BGR’s On the Ballot report examines the proposed 10-year property tax millage to provide additional funding to increase the pay of Jefferson Parish School Board teachers and other employees.

Overview BGR’s On the Ballot report analyzes the proposed 10-year renewals of three existing property taxes for New Orleans public schools that voters will decide on October 14, 2017.

Overview For the October 14, 2017 primary elections in New Orleans, BGR provided voters with its 2017 Candidate Q&A Election Series. BGR submitted questions to all mayoral and City Council candidates on public safety, infrastructure and other important public policy issues facing the City of New Orleans government. BGR compiled the answers of the candidates who […]

Overview BGR studies four dedicated taxes up for renewal on the December 10, 2016 in Jefferson Parish: a sales tax for parish sewerage, road and drainage projects, law enforcement and municipal governments in Jefferson; and three property taxes for parish drainage, recreation and public schools.

Overview In One Plus One: The Dual Authorizer Structure and the Future of New Orleans Schools, BGR seeks to inform lawmakers and the public about the charter authorizing structure in Orleans Parish and the potential risks that accompany a diminished role for the state in charter management. The report is the second in a series […]

Overview In School Board Takes a Key Step Toward Better Stewardship, BGR commends the Orleans Parish School Board for taking steps to preserve the bulk of its $45 million operating reserve for the benefit of the system as a whole. It also calls on the School Board to take additional steps to improve its financial […]

Overview BGR analyzes two property tax propositions meant to sustain west bank flood protection systems and three proposed St. Tammany charter amendments before voters on November 21, 2015. The tax propositions include a new tax for the West Jefferson Levee District and a tax renewal for the Algiers Levee District in New Orleans. Both levee […]

Overview BGR reviews a proposed property tax for the upkeep of public school facilities in New Orleans and 11 propositions to amend the Jefferson Parish charter that voters will decide on December 6, 2014. The charter propositions relate to: Modifying the Jefferson Parish Council’s authority to investigate parish affairs Limiting the outside employment of the […]

Overview BGR examines two proposed amendments to the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans, one Orleans Parish property tax proposition and two constitutional amendments on the ballot for November 4, 2014. One City charter amendment would incorporate certain professional services contracting reforms made in 2010. The other charter amendment would move the […]

Overview In an open letter to the Jefferson Parish Council, BGR comments on a proposed ordinance that would change the parish’s process for awarding nonprofessional service contracts.

Overview In this release, BGR points out that the disarray enveloping the Jefferson Parish Council’s hospital lease process stems from contracting problems BGR has previously identified.

Overview In On the Ballot: October 19, 2013, BGR explains, analyzes and takes positions on three tax propositions on the ballot in Jefferson Parish and two proposed charter amendments in New Orleans, one of which would reform the Sewerage & Water Board. The Jefferson tax propositions are renewals of property taxes for the Jefferson Parish […]

Overview In The Accidental Steward: The Orleans Parish School Board as a Resource Manager in the Reform Era, BGR examines the Orleans Parish School Board’s performance as the financial steward for New Orleans’ unique, heavily charter school system.

Overview In this letter to the Jefferson Parish Charter Advisory Board, BGR recommends changes to the parish charter in the area of contracting. Among other things, BGR recommends assigning responsibility for the contracting process from the Jefferson Parish Council to the Parish President.

Overview In this release, BGR looks at a proposed Jefferson Parish Council ordinance to reform one area of service contracting in parish government.

Overview In On the Ballot: November 6, 2012, BGR examines three proposed constitutional amendments, two propositions pertaining to multiple parishes in the New Orleans area, a proposed change to the City of New Orleans charter and two local tax propositions. The three constitutional amendments would strengthen gun rights, provide an additional homestead exemption to spouses […]

In this edition of Now, BGR calls on the Louisiana Board of Elementary & Secondary Education (BESE) to tighten up the proposed criteria and accountability system for school participation in the State of Louisiana’s voucher program, called the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program.

In this report, BGR analyzes service contracting in Jefferson Parish and makes recommendations for reforms.

Overview In Making Choice Right: Can Private School Vouchers Live Up to Their Promises? BGR examines the statewide school voucher program that the Governor is proposing, as well as the pilot program that has been in effect in New Orleans since 2008. It makes recommendations to lawmakers, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education […]

Overview In this letter to the Orleans Parish School Board, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the Recovery School District (RSD_ Superintendent, BGR joins with seven local business and civic organizations to ask the school districts to go back to the drawing board on proposed amendments to New Orleans’ School Facilities Master […]

Overview On the Ballot: Jefferson Parish, April 30, 2011 examines four proposed tax renewals. One is a sales tax renewal for the Jefferson Parish Public School System. The other three are property tax renewals that support Jefferson Parish drainage, juvenile services, and a combination of the Parish’s animal shelters and public health facilities and the […]

Overview Inside Outsourcing: A Year in the Life of City Contracting builds from an analysis of hundreds of City contracts in effect during 2009 to provide a broad overview of City contracting and discuss key problem areas that require the attention of the current administration and the New Orleans City Council.

Overview In The Price of Civilization: Addressing Infrastructure Needs in New Orleans, BGR provides information on New Orleans’ core infrastructure needs – including streets, the systems of the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, schools and the Orleans Parish jail – and assesses the community’s capacity to fund those needs.

Overview In Managing Innovation: Models for Governing the System of Public Schools in New Orleans, BGR and Tulane University’s Cowen Institute present five potential models for governing public schools in New Orleans’ decentralized system and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Overview Contracting with Confidence: Professional Services Contracting Reform in New Orleans presents a new model to improve contract administration in City government and restore faith in the contracting process.

Overview With the primary on the way, BGR submitted questions to all mayoral candidates on topics in four areas: the city’s budget, city services, infrastructure and blight. Four candidates – Rob Couhig, John Georges, Mitch Landrieu and James Perry – responded. BGR is presenting the Q&A to the public in a web-only, four-part series, Questions […]

Overview BGR’s release, School Facilities Plan Leaves Financing Questions Unanswered, examines the financial component of the School Facilities Master Plan for New Orleans. See also: BGR’s public comment letter BGR’s letter in The Times-Picayune

Overview On the Ballot: Orleans Parish School Tax Renewals provides an overview of four New Orleans school property tax millages up for voter renewal on July 19, 2008. The taxes support basic operations and maintenance, among other needs.

Overview BGR analyzes three tax propositions to go before voters in Jefferson Parish on March 31, 2007. The propositions would renew property taxes levied parishwide or in large portions of the parish that provide funding for the public schools, recreation and drainage.

Overview As part of BGR Reports, a web-based series of reports BGR began publishing following the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster, BGR comments on a $3 million contract for recovery planning in New Orleans awarded without inviting competition. BGR also provides links below to documents referenced in the report: 2004 Request for Statement of Qualifications 2004 […]

Overview BGR challenged New Orleans mayoral candidates to implement BGR’s model for professional services contracting reform within 90 days of assuming office.

Overview BGR and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Inc. (PAR) have issued a joint report calling for a full appraisal of financial options for local governments in fiscal crisis, including municipal bankruptcy.

Overview BGR analyzes a property tax renewal for the Jefferson Parish Public School System, considering the taxpayers’ investment and its importance to the school system.

Overview Among the propositions on the ballot for October 4, 2003, are three constitutional amendments relating to coastal restoration, and another providing for the possible state takeover of failing public schools, many of which are in New Orleans. BGR analyzes these four amendments, along with two local propositions. The Jefferson Parish ballot proposition would increase […]

Overview BGR presents its new Professional Services Contracting Model along with a pledge for current mayoral candidates in New Orleans to sign, promising to implement these specific and fundamental reforms.

Overview As a supplement to Public Contracting for Legal Services, this report provides information and analysis of contracting practices of local governments. Also available are appendixes summarizing 18 local government entities’ practices and the text of Louisiana laws. The Public Law Center (TPLC), the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), and the Bureau of Governmental […]

Overview The Public Law Center (TPLC), the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), and the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) prepared this study of contracting for outside legal services by state and local government entities at the request of the Kendall Vick Public Law Foundation. The objectives were to survey the laws and regulations […]

Overview This edition of BGR’s Outlook series discusses the financial challenges facing the Jefferson Parish Public School System and the current academic performance of its schools.

Overview This issue of Outlook updates the fiscal status of the Jefferson Parish Public Schools with a focus on the revised FY1999 and the adopted FY2000 operating budgets.

Overview BGR provides an overview and status report on the Orleans Parish School Board’s new management information system and the computer networking project to bring the Internet and other educational resources to the classroom.

Overview This is the first report in BGR’s Outlook series on the Orleans Parish School Board. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the Board’s fiscal outlook with a focus on the FY 1999 (July 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999) operating budget.

Overview This report reviews the City of New Orleans’ property service charge proposal on the ballot for December 5, 1998. The primary intended uses of the new revenues include pay raises for most City employees and for all Orleans Parish public school employees.

Overview This report provides a short analysis of the potential creation of three separate neighborhood-based special tax districts in New Orleans and a recommendation on two proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution relative to the governance of higher education. The neighborhood districts will provide additional funding for enhanced security and in some cases, beautification and […]

Overview This issue of the BGR Outlook on Jefferson examines the Jefferson Parish School Board’s finances. The 16-page report analyzes the factors leading to recent operating budget deficits and discusses potential solutions.

Overview This report analyzes professional services contracting practices by five area school boards in Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes.