Caddo School Changes Are on the Way
SHREVEPORT, LA - A major shakeup is happening in Caddo Parish schools. Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley was in Shreveport on Friday to present his plan for improvements to the local school board.
Dr. Brumley is recommending closing Werner Park Elementary and Sunset Acres Elementary. Those 400 children at those 2 schools will be relocated to other, better performing schools. He is also calling for Third Future Schools to operate Fair Park Middle as a turnaround model for all grades beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
He is also urging the board to begin making serious improvements at 4 other schools to avoid takeover by the state. Brumley says the state will provide 2 million dollars in funding to implement the Star Academy program at Broadmoor Stem Academy and Caddo Career and Technology Center. This program provides assistance with students who are falling behind.
What Else Would the State Provide?
Dr. Brumley also says the state will provide $100,000 dollars for literacy and math enhancements at Atkins and Bethune.
Brumley also told the board that they should also open the school choice option for an additional 2 weeks to allow students at this failing schools to relocate to other schools
What Must Change at the Failing Schools?
He is also requiring Caddo Parish to set up differentiated compensation for teachers at these failing schools. He says this will help to attract the best teachers in the area to these schools.
He is also calling for a reconstitution plan for these schools. These efforts are aimed at working alongside the teachers to identify student who are behind to help catch them up.
Brumley says "this is about making sure students are in high quality seats."
Board Member Christine Tharpe asked Dr. Brumley "what if we don’t adopt your plan"?
Brumley says "that's a fair question and I hope you can appreciate I am here with a respectful plan and with support. But if the board does not take action, it would be my intent to take over all 7 schools immediately." He says this would likely involve additional closings, additional charters and the state would also take over the buildings.
But that does not have to happen. The Caddo School Board voted 9-3 to adopt the Brumley plan to avoid a state takeover.
What Happens with the Schools That Will Be Getting Help?
Brumley says "for those four we will closely watch to see how the improvements will go. Here in Caddo, you have limited dollars and you are spreading it too thin."
Jasmine Green, Terence Vinson and Bonita Douzart were the 3 Board Members that voted against adopting the state plan.
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