[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6356164,"mediaKeyId","2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5","parentId",2217016,"title","East Baton Rouge school board approves short-term change to 2024–25 calendar to capture missed instructional minutes","audioSeconds",1097,"startMs",200000,"endMs",1297000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5&start=200&end=1297","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5/thumbnail_200000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6356164/Louisiana/East-Baton-Rouge-school-board-approves-short-term-change-to-202425-calendar-to-capture-missed-instructional-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356164-ed315663e5be634ebec65ab078ea12e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159886&Signature=nZVmWwYrK2X6ponYM8wB7jcStN5MgKKTVjxS17A2xTp8OGjvUhhQJfS3rV2WCuT8~PEHtIkryboJUwE~vz0oxgzmz4FMxDeAgMtHfS2PgDEB~7zNq5VSYqRPP7qSwYqZAWoK9vQMG0EN6KWEkaQNCVs8XSyNuBWe6TukOXIUOLa24cZGF2qWIyooHbtdhmcGYEI3~0KY0cDYW7TZsDtm1xvaj-oxijag~gNWaFu0WiQuMl9pymX91cctL79mpk7IwwFjocVDGHT7JJP3oa9ALmnhwyBqUqxWi2BlPcrc~Q3MJwTCD05h6xOxuo3VwSv538koBmTw0B~DajmOeJY60A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","EBR School Board","date","2025-01-30T00:00:00Z","article","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Jan. 30 approved an amendment to the 2024–25 school calendar to capture missed instructional minutes, extending the Feb. 19 school day and adding end-of-year student days to meet state requirements.

Superintendent Cole told the board the district must extend the Feb. 19 date and is recommending adding minutes at the end of the year “to be least disruptive to families,” but said staff will return to the board’s Committee on Academics, Leadership and Learning (CAL) with alternative plans if requested.

The change drew public comment from a classroom teacher who said the proposed three short days at the end of the semester would not create meaningful instructional time. “If by putting them at the end of the semester, that gives us no true instructional time,” the commenter said, and recommended converting Feb. 19 to a full day instead. School board member Patrick Martin echoed that concern and asked staff to return to the CAL with more data if needed.

Deputy Smith explained the district’s calculations and constraints tied to Carnegie-unit rules: the district must build a calendar that totals the statutory instructional minutes required for Carnegie units. Deputy Smith said high-school block schedules and how individual class days count toward units limit the options, and the superintendent’s team prioritized minimizing family disruption while remaining compliant. Deputy Smith said the district’s calendar designers considered Ash Wednesday and spring break as alternatives and concluded the proposed amendment met compliance for the affected courses.

Board members debated practical impacts. Some argued final exams could be scheduled later so added instructional days are not simply “after-exam” movie days; others said the recommendation is the least disruptive path and consistent with state requirements. The board ultimately voted to accept the superintendent’s recommendation.

The board and superintendent said staff will bring follow-up analysis to the February CAL showing alternatives such as: adding minutes to school days, adjusting vacation days, or keeping the added minutes at the end of the year; staff also said they will consult with teachers and families before proposing further changes.

The amendment is meant to ensure the district meets the state’s instructional-minute requirements for Carnegie units; Superintendent Cole said the district will continue to refine schedules and provide contingency minutes and minutes-flex options for teachers to plan instruction.

Board members made multiple requests for additional information, including comparisons with neighboring districts, specific attendance and lesson-plan expectations for added days, and possible effects on exam scheduling. Superintendent Cole said schools are expected to treat every calendar day as a lesson-planned instructional day and that school leaders will prepare thematic or preparatory instruction for post-exam days.

The board’s approval was framed as a near-term compliance measure, with staff directed to return with more complete data and alternative calendar options at the February committee meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 30 2025, EBR School Board Special Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Jan. 30 approved a short-term amendment to the 2024–25 school calendar, extending Feb. 19 and adding end-of-year student days so the district meets state instructional-minute requirements.","taxTitle","East Baton Rouge Parish, School Boards, Louisiana","taxId",14463,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6356154,"Board approves one‑year management agreement with Third Futures to operate Prescott campus site",819,3984000,4803000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5&start=3984&end=4803","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5/thumbnail_3984000.jpg","/articles/6356154/Louisiana/Board-approves-oneyear-management-agreement-with-Third-Futures-to-operate-Prescott-campus-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356154-4c11094a56c26b3a350950042430d018/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159886&Signature=WrAQqwsLwCsfG6TwQwxO4ZjMENLNkgWRnVaDUbNQeuS62Zmghikz33UpYbms2jvZGO9uHC-LZ0WW~bgcLA6VTpWtq~couGWICyePIldN3PECHIzCl2NDWVkTJBs46v~jr53RQBlekLDxL4YEzAY8b4bUETU4B5M66M5W0JBy2gIYznXvZNpGC9ta5rIlsWe72S5wjDg5DDAk91Z6qOXDHsEMxk~EoyCBL1rhO0VvTquz2vYmVRTMVLsMUovISxDmTTXN79Q6cx5hcaP-AWpoyBfrTD1ks1XoTNFseey0QdfMtjYfIbY1HTWcLcn3YBhDXXXBwgI5dYOpX~-L9b-O0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Jan. 30 approved a one‑year professional services management agreement with Third Futures to operate a school on the Prescott campus after IDEA surrendered its charter.

Superintendent Cole said Third Futures is a turnaround specialist and noted Prescott’s principal had shown progress under the new leadership; he described conversations with multiple charter operators and said Third Futures and Audubon were most interested and prepared to move quickly. The superintendent also said staff will coordinate with Third Futures on funding transitions (including Title funds) and academic supports, and that the district will make resources available to help the operator meet student needs.

Public commenters expressed skepticism about charter operators and urged that services be provided by district-run schools; an online commenter asked for clarity about Third Futures’ legal status, state domicile and governance, and requested that any new entity not use the IDE A name or assume long-term operations beyond July 2026.

Board members discussed oversight and transparency. Counsel and the superintendent explained that the agreement is a professional services contract (a one‑year management arrangement), not a charter contract, and that the district remains the oversight authority. Records generated by the managing partner are public records under the school board; the managing entity as a private vendor would not be required to hold public board meetings, but the board retained rights to request records and financial information under the contract.

Board members asked for quarterly reviews and ongoing access to financial and program information. The superintendent said Third Futures would be asked to hire its own staff; if that was not possible the district would discuss staffing deployments. Board members emphasized coordinating high-dosage tutoring, Title allocation and other academic resources to support students who remain on-site.

One board member noted Third Futures had raised a school’s progress grade from a low F to a high D in a prior engagement and said that demonstrated turnaround capacity. The motion to approve the superintendent’s recommendation carried.","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board approved a one‑year management contract with Third Futures to operate a Prescott campus school after IDEA surrendered its charter, retaining district oversight and access to records.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6356159,"School board approves $334,708.44 contract authorization for four advanced weapons-screening systems",2685,1298000,3983000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5&start=1298&end=3983","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5/thumbnail_1298000.jpg","/articles/6356159/Louisiana/School-board-approves-33470844-contract-authorization-for-four-advanced-weapons-screening-systems","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356159-81f1416aca0e9c19d12e24a928084b85/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159886&Signature=ZC5jZPiP3wMKGvcVEi0DquT1mmGkR46eC11pdgN29y-SvwgY6DnGMgBaDjr5k9tQPvSuOEqJ-Yg0slcgLNUwzsix9A~32gsUZznVn9dZVtmLrq2HiVUykssYZd2nVsh60YiVjZ6~o5luMsUmWJzHZJULKMRZ-csM5yDbMOuOo-HKVLuZWl9wuslPWCrpQuBe7JvRUdbIauxQzEQCwucm3b~W0Ynt6LxUKo7dl4BBtiLreTKQKy1Y1FOg9tfp6DL2cnqxYCMZgqSH-W269qp2ZC86URA4ZzlJ8Dx2gdgjhncd5IwqoJ1iVywCz7pyAmM5JtykW2ir52cKWVxP2pJLnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted Jan. 30 to authorize the superintendent and general counsel to negotiate a contract with Alliance Technology Group for advanced weapons-screening systems (described by the vendor as weapon/metal-screening devices) at four high schools, in an amount not to exceed $334,708.44 over four years.

The superintendent said the district identified an “urgent need” for advanced detectors at several high schools and that the devices chosen are intended to reduce false alarms, speed entry and provide data to guide staffing and security decisions. The superintendent and central-office security staff named Scotlandville High, Belaire High, West (Willoughton) High and McKinley High as the initial deployment sites.

Public commenters and several board members questioned current deployment and use of existing metal detectors, arguing many are unplugged during the school day or not used for late arrivals, after-school events or game days. One commenter said detectors “are not being used effectively” and asked for transparency after incidents where weapons bypassed campus screening.

Board member Delaney and others urged a change in process—ensuring detectors are active throughout the day, staffing entry points, and limiting open-campus access—rather than relying only on new equipment. Superintendent Cole acknowledged uneven implementation across schools and said the expectation is that every visitor should be screened and that central-office teams will be deployed to support campus implementation and accountability.

Vendor representatives from Alliance Technology Group and Evolve explained the technology differs from traditional metal detectors: the systems identify weapon characteristics to reduce benign-item alarms, produce alerts that show the likely location of a threat, and provide monitoring dashboards and data analytics to guide staffing. The vendor said site-by-site training and on-site support will be provided during initial operations.

Superintendent Cole said the district has found 11 weapons on campuses this school year (five firearms brought on campus by students, five found after school in parking lots, and one BB gun) and described recent incidents where community tips led staff to intercept two people and recover weapons in a vehicle. Cole said central-office staff would be sent to target schools each morning “until further notice” to help ensure consistent screening protocols.

Board members discussed alternative, lower-cost measures—alarms on exit doors, better door-locking hardware and human staffing at entry points—and asked staff to assess needed resources districtwide. The superintendent agreed to evaluate the four initially targeted high schools and report back; Operations leadership said an evaluation of the four schools’ needs can be completed in one week, with an expanded sample (including high‑risk middle schools) in about two weeks.

The board moved to accept the superintendent’s recommendation; the motion carried.","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Jan. 30 authorized negotiations for a contract with Alliance Technology Group to install four advanced weapons‑screening systems, not to exceed $334,708.44 over four years, and directed staff to improve screening processes and reporting.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":81,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6356151,"Board approves one‑year management agreement with Audubon Schools for an additional Prescott-area site",593,5396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5&start=4803&end=5396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2217016-db492514c6308f17c59851f55e3b33d5/thumbnail_4803000.jpg","/articles/6356151/Louisiana/Board-approves-oneyear-management-agreement-with-Audubon-Schools-for-an-additional-Prescott-area-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356151-2352fcd4de04a5dc8b2a0906084fed0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159886&Signature=HcPo1NXFwO5jPFqoh3GTk0UTPI1cXimTf4XKpsht2Zr3A3ZNKSGW4h~O3Z3gt7n5sfIXUeN93S7CADviHNXSy8usMMnhAkAgrJtsTIxM2f7H7FqJHYHrn2jQyZ-dHIMwe5BrDWClvqm32iIZKRPKqyCuH-sDr94vEcQMyql4X8a4Hx8At1cXJBaziqYyvTgXngPUH88rdLccaKfLI7SMNlRFuowtTKZt-bf9j8wxxuXXeLKE8qL-ESjtXbY7agESC-1IKO0U~vZRwJdTUC7SfL01b7KoUfbKQvRhojbZT6pMVcIrDiKSaine5MHRZzVnF1gzV4vLg8dC8cQswpHzMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Jan. 30 approved a one‑year professional services contract with French and Montessori Education, Inc., d/b/a Audubon Schools, to operate a school in the district under a management arrangement (not a charter), pending contract execution.

Audubon representatives said the proposed model for the Baton Rouge site is not Montessori or French immersion; rather, the operator described a model emphasizing rigorous academic instruction, comprehensive arts, gifted-and-talented programming and supports for English-language learners. Audubon cited performance at Audubon Gentilly (New Orleans), noting strong state growth indicators for disadvantaged students and students with IEPs at that school.

Board members asked whether Audubon would operate under a separate governance structure and whether the operator would hold board meetings locally; counsel and the superintendent explained the management agreement is a vendor contract for one year, not a charter, and that records generated by the vendor are public records under the school board. The superintendent and counsel said the district retains oversight and can request financial and program records; the private entity is not required to hold open board meetings under this arrangement, though the board asked for regular reporting and transparency.

Board members asked for clarity about gifted-and-talented programming at the existing IDEA campus and how Audubon would provide such services if approved. Audubon said one of its New Orleans schools serves high proportions of Black and economically disadvantaged students and has delivered strong growth metrics; Audubon said it plans to replicate that approach in Baton Rouge and provide targeted interventions and supports.

The board approved the superintendent’s recommendation; members emphasized oversight, clarity about staffing and hiring, and requested that the district coordinate supports and ensure families receive clear communication about the one‑year nature of the agreement.","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board approved a one‑year professional services contract with French & Montessori Education, Inc., d/b/a Audubon Schools, to operate a school in the district (not a charter). Audubon representatives said the site would use a rigorous academic model with arts and supports for English language learners; board","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

East Baton Rouge school board approves short-term change to 2024–25 calendar to capture missed instructional minutes

Board approves one‑year management agreement with Third Futures to operate Prescott campus site

School board approves $334,708.44 contract authorization for four advanced weapons-screening systems

Board approves one‑year management agreement with Audubon Schools for an additional Prescott-area site