Andy Smarick argues (correctly) that the successful expansion of high-quality charter schools is benefitting the residents of many cities, not just New Orleans:

As we approach the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans's groundbreaking and highly successful effort to replace its traditional-district-based system with a system of charters and choice deserves some attention.

But let's begin by focusing on recent developments mostly outside of NOLA. It's critical to appreciate that this shift (from a single government operator to an array of nonprofit operators) is happening in many other locations—and it's being done well.

This very good July Politico article describes D.C.'s thriving charter sector. It's educating nearly half of the city's kids, serving a more disadvantaged population than the district, producing better academic results, and offering a diverse range of schools. On this last point, a fantastic new study by Michael McShane and Jenn Hatfield shows that chartering is producing a wide variety of schools in city after city (contra claims that charters are cookie-cutter).

A number of cities are showing that the charter sector is best able to reliably create and grow high-performing schools.

…But the most interesting and difficult question is this: What must happen for chartering to become the system? In Detroit, district enrollment is 15 percent of its peak, and the charter sector is educating more than half the city's kids. Detroit's leaders are working to create a new overarching system. Some skeptics say chartering's fatal flaw is that it inevitably fails to educate some students. But a new report on New York City charters finds that more charters are "backfilling" to serve the most at-risk kids.

…But let's get back to NOLA. This city is showing that these ideas can be brought to life and dramatically improve student results. A brand-new report from New Schools for New Orleans and Public Impact describes the systemic changes and heartening gains. Three new articles in Education Next offer even more hope.

…In the weeks ahead, we're going to see lots written about NOLA's reforms. We should celebrate the gains and address the shortcomings. But we should also remember that New Orleans is one chapter in a much bigger story about the remaking of American urban public schooling.