PUBLIC
SCHOOLS

EVERY CHILD. EVERY SCHOOL. EVERY DAY.

October 31, 2019

Patrick Norton, Board Chairman
Joel Castro, CEO

Cohen College Prep

2301 Marengo St.

New Orleans, LA 70115

Re: Notice of Non?Compliance, Level 2, SPLC CAP (Child Find)
Dear Mr. Norton and Mr. Castro:

I am writing to inform you that Walter L. Cohen College Prep (?Cohen?) is receiving this Level 2 Notice of
Non?Compliance based upon recent outcomes ofa formal review of the school?s special education practices
conducted by the Louisiana Department of Education Division of Program Monitoring (LDOE) and the
Independent Monitor, under RB, et al. v. John White, et al., Case 2:10-cv-O4049. OPSB was notified by the
LDOE that Cohen was placed on a Corrective Action Plan for non?compliance with Child Find obligations
under the RB. Consent Judgment, based upon results of LDOE and independent monitoring of your school
during the 2018-2019 school year. Therefore, the school is considered not in compliance with its contractual

obligations regarding supporting students with disabilities.

At this time, Walter L. Cohen is not meeting expectations with regards to its legal obligations under IDEA,
Part program and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act ofl973. It is critically important that your
organization addresses the concerns noted by the LDOE immediately. In order to return to good standing,
Cohen will need to successfully exit the CAP issued by the LDOE. OPSB will await confirmation of the
assessment and make any additional reviews for compliance it sees fit before Cohen can return to

good standing.

We look forward to your compliance by the determined timelines of the LDOE. Failure to respond to these
remedies may result in escalated consequences, including, but not limited to, additional intervention or

reduction in charter term upon renewal.
Please contact Gayla Robbins Mair at with any questions that you may have
regarding

Yours in Education.

VJ 

Kelli R. Peterson, 
Chief Portfolio Innovation Accountability Officer

Cc: Dr. Henderson Lewis, Superintendent, OPSB