About ISL


MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the International School of Louisiana (ISL) is to provide a challenging education emphasizing language immersion, international awareness, the celebration of diversity and community responsibility.


HISTORY
The International School of Louisiana (ISL) was founded in 2000 by a group of parents eager to improve public education in Louisiana. They envisioned a tuition-free, non-selective charter school that would cultivate diversity, inclusion, and equity. ISL is the only school chartered before hurricane Katrina fortunate enough to see continued success, growth, and a thriving student population. We are proud to continue to provide French and Spanish language immersion and to foster global learners.


OUR ISL COMMUNITY
Today, the International School of Louisiana (ISL) educates students in Kindergarten through eighth across three campuses located in Dixon (K-2), Uptown (3-8), and the Westbank (K-5). Our commitment to diversity is evident in both our teacher and student populations. ISL employs over 200 staff members from 33 countries and fluent in 23 different languages who work together to educate approximately 1200 students (43% African American, 29% White, 25% Latinx/Hispanic, 2% Asian/Pacific and 1% American Indian).


LANGUAGE IMMERSION
From their first day of school,
ISL students learn core academic subjects in either French or Spanish. They learn a second language naturally, through everyday conversation and classroom instruction. Over 80% of students enter ISL at Kindergarten from English-speaking homes and leave in 8th grade as bilingual speakers, sometimes trilingual. ISL offers a full immersion experience in French or Spanish (Kindergarten through 8th grade), as well as Mandarin Chinese in middle school.


OUR MISSION
ISL is the only Louisiana school to be named a “Charter School of the Year” by the Center for Education Reform, the nation’s leading education advocacy organization. We work diligently to further our mission to provide a challenging education emphasizing language immersion, international awareness, the celebration of diversity, and community responsibility. As a non-selective school, ISL enrolls a minimum of 53% of students identified as at-risk. The critical work that inspires us each day has earned our school, teachers, and students recognition, nationally and locally. ISL is among the first Louisiana State Certified Immersion Schools, is one of only two Spanish language immersion schools in the metro area, notably won the COSEBOC Excellence in Education award for the effective elimination of the achievement gap for boys of color, and is the proud honoree of the 2015 Public Education Award for Exemplary Language Immersion Education, among other recognitions and awards.


ISL does not discriminate against students on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, family situation, intellectual or athletic ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, natural, protective, or cultural hairstyles, or any other basis that would be illegal if used by a district board of education. ISL complies with all applicable Louisiana statutes concerning public schools.


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