Even when pressed, he didn't mention any specific anxiety over the upcoming state test. And you get to wear regular clothes. The small class sizes in the program have made it a lot easier for teachers to do their jobs well and to be creative with lessons, said Charlotte L. Matthew, Wright Middle School's principal. The Ex-L program requires fewer than 15 students per class, while classes during the regular year can be as large as 35 student, she said. Though the school sits amid gentrified homes a few blocks west of the city's famous Garden District, many of its students are bused in from housing projects nearby.
Summer school can be especially beneficial for poor students, experts say.
In New Orleans, organizers have made an effort to differentiate the summer program from the rest of the school year. The climate is different. Across the city, at Martin Behrman Elementary School, an old building surrounded by oil refineries, public housing, and a charming historic neighborhood, Lillian Gibbs and her students seem to be enjoying themselves. All eyes follow the veteran teacher as she saunters around the classroom, patting heads and answering questions. When she begins a math problem on the board and calls for volunteers, nearly every hand in the room reaches for the sky.