Success for All Names Hynes Charter School in New Orleans as 2026 Dr. Robert Slavin Award Recipient

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hynes Charter School–Lakeview has been named the 2026 Dr. Robert Slavin Success for All Award recipient, a national honor recognizing schools that exemplify the outcomes Success for All was designed to achieve: aligned systems, strong leadership, exceptional instruction in every classroom, and sustained literacy growth year after year for every student.

Founded in 1952, Hynes began implementing the Success for All (SFA) model in 2003. When the school building was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, it reopened as a charter school in 2006 to continue serving students and families.

Through shared leadership across the school community, Hynes strengthened the instructional practices, routines, and systems at the core of the Success for All model. Today, the school stands as a national model of sustained excellence, having earned 14 consecutive "A" ratings from the state of Louisiana.

"We've had the privilege of working alongside Hynes for many years, and this recognition reflects a deep, sustained partnership grounded in trust and shared purpose," said Julie Wible, CEO of the Success for All Foundation. "The educators at Hynes didn't just adopt a model. They committed to the hard, daily work of bringing Success for All to life for students, families, and one another. That work, and the results it has produced—including the expansion of two additional schools—is what this award honors."

Michelle Douglas, CEO of Hynes Charter Schools, said the years following Hurricane Katrina reinforced the importance of having a strong, research-based model already in place.

"After Katrina, we didn't just have to rebuild a school, we had to rebuild trust, stability, and hope," Douglas said. "Success for All gave us structure, evidence, and direction at a time when both adults and children were navigating profound disruption. Even in those early years, the student growth we saw made it clear this was the right path."

In addition to honoring Hynes–Lakeview, Success for All also recognized growth across the broader Hynes Charter School network. Hynes–University of New Orleans (UNO), founded in 2019 with only kindergarten, now serves students in grades K–6 and posted a 10-point gain on Louisiana's School Performance Score (SPS) system in the 2024–25 school year. Hynes–Parkview joined the network in 2021 and has achieved a 39-point increase on the SPS system in just four years. Together, these results reflect the strength of shared systems across campuses.

"At Hynes, the systems we've built are bigger than any one person," Douglas said. "That shared leadership, common language, and collective accountability are what make success sustainable—and what allow the work to endure year after year."

The award was announced at the 2026 Success for All Experienced Sites Conference in New Orleans.

About Success for All Foundation

Success for All Foundation is a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that every child learns to read well, regardless of background or circumstance. For more than 40 years, Success for All has partnered with schools to implement a comprehensive, research-based literacy system grounded in the Science of Reading.

Unlike programs that focus on curriculum alone, Success for All works side by side with educators to build the systems that make strong instruction possible every day. Its whole-school model integrates high-quality literacy curriculum, embedded professional development, leadership support, tutoring, and the consistent use of data to meet students' needs early and effectively.

Success for All has served thousands of schools nationwide, particularly those in high-poverty communities, helping educators strengthen instruction, close opportunity gaps, and create classrooms where students become confident readers, writers, and thinkers.

To learn more, visit www.successforall.org.

Media Contact:
Maureen Mirabito
Success for All Foundation
[email protected]
410-404-5126

SOURCE Success for All Foundation