Education Board Backs Return Plan For RSD Schools

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A complex plan that will allow some state-run schools to return to local control by 2012 has won approval from the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

BESE agreed Thursday to Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek's recommendation for returning schools taken over by the state's Recovery School District. Approval came despite complaints from New Orleans residents that the plan creates too many hurdles.

The issue largely impacts dozens of New Orleans schools taken over because of poor performance. Orleans Parish School Board officials have said Pastorek's plan violates the law and likely will be challenged in court.

No school will be returned before the 2012-13 school year, and only then after meeting a series of requirements or performance standards and also getting individual approval from BESE.

The state board voted 7-3 against attempts to rework Pastorek's plan.