On 31 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, leaving 80 per cent of the city underwater. Its education infrastructure - school buildings, supply networks, teachers and students - completely unraveled in the chaos.
It was a time of panic, followed by hardship - but it was also a time to reflect, imagine and rebuild. Eight years later, New Orleans is leading the way across America in improving learning standards and outcomes.
One of the people behind this transformation, Jay Altman, founder and CEO of FirstLine Schools, popped in to Pearson HQ in London to share his experiences.
This talk is part of a series on ReImagining Learning, a partnership between Pearson and Ashoka, through which we profile the work of some of the world's leading social innovators in the field of education.
Additional events will take place and be filmed in London over the next 12 months. Please email rachel.brujis@pearson.com if you would like to join.
