The new Massachusetts state secretary of education, James “Jim” Peysor, referred to New Orleans Public Schools before Hurricane Katrina as “disease afflicted”. Peysor, who was a member of Mitt Romney’s education team during the 2012 presidential election, was one of the original board members of New Schools for New Orleans, and prior to his appointment in Massachusetts, he was a managing director at the New Schools Venture Fund.
The New Schools Venture Fund’s “venture portfolio” includes: Achievement Network, KIPP schools, Leading Educators, New Leaders for New Schools, New Schools for New Orleans, Teach for America and The New Teacher Project.
