The school began operation in 1964 as a
junior high school. It was named after Edna Karr, an educator who served as a teacher and administrator in the Algiers community. About 18 months after the (mid-school-year) opening of the new junior high,
Hurricane Betsy struck as the 1965-66 school year was starting. Local schools were closed for several days, in part because local electric power had not been restored. In addition, Karr's beautiful
gym floor was ruined; blowing rain had pounded in through broken windows, and the inundated wood flooring buckled like an
accordion. When school restarted,
physical education classes were held outdoors until the floor had been replaced. Until 1990, Edna Karr operated as a junior high serving grades 7 through 9, with an academic program that included regular education,
special education, and
gifted education. All of this changed in the autumn of 2005 after
Hurricane Katrina. With the creation of the
Algiers Charter Schools Association, Edna Karr was one of the first six
public schools to reopen in the city of
New Orleans (December 15, 2005). Edna Karr reopened as a
senior high charter school serving grades 9 through 12. Under the ACSA charter, Edna Karr once again has
open enrollment and is therefore open to all students who live in Orleans Parish. Edna Karr will complete a brand new campus by October 2019. The project is estimated to cost $48.9 million. == Student demographics ==