[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6356161,"mediaKeyId","2217015-40ecaacb74d175ac8bbfe16ea79aed5c","parentId",2217015,"title","Parents press board on school safety after weapon found at Woodlawn High; superintendent says metal detectors used but investigation continues","audioSeconds",356,"startMs",3372000,"endMs",3728000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2217015-40ecaacb74d175ac8bbfe16ea79aed5c&start=3372&end=3728","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2217015-40ecaacb74d175ac8bbfe16ea79aed5c/thumbnail_3372000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6356161/Louisiana/Parents-press-board-on-school-safety-after-weapon-found-at-Woodlawn-High-superintendent-says-metal-detectors-used-but-investigation-continues","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356161-c693ff33c43405207c65f1e101e37018/orig.mp4?Expires=1775064880&Signature=UP0QGdOV2PnVItcBni9SZEB2RTvmJmE5KZ6OZIxHJQ0AAw1eB0Ia8SFAnzsmVtl8NU3XgCtU6KRoORni~2rWUAQ2HG1oFWf7h5vx1RQhvj7cw5IUOVRAHK990GNXYSdoCuSOwUlphTu0muObXNygY2gdrQYzUku0fdekcHSKItjrczhQtApGz4BqUETuSmdxhlaQD3ckWx7y4LEpo2q4ogiF9PGheaeiZ-VPiS1UdnjkBrqnLVx4fo37xV~r0DdxEQvaEZZpU53K-Oo9R9eJvMK44I3FPYTEE5AR-wjUmcOxnGB7LU44yPn~Ribf1qZOAsKgDhiDKgChJ8nCh4pW2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","EBR School Board","date","2025-01-16T00:00:00Z","article","A parent told the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Jan. 16 that a weapon was discovered at Woodlawn High School earlier that day and urged the district to \"get serious about protecting our kids.\" Daryl Dorsey, a parent at Woodlawn High School, said parents waited outside the school and saw law enforcement respond and that the experience left families frightened and unsure what had happened.

The district's superintendent, identified in the meeting as Superintendent Cole, apologized to the Woodlawn community and confirmed that the district has metal detectors and walk-through detectors at its high schools. \"We have verified that our high schools are using metal detectors and walk through detectors, but we have not validated whether or not they're using them effectively,\" Cole said, adding the district is investigating what led to the breakdown in security during the incident.

Why it matters: Board members and the superintendent described school safety as a top priority for East Baton Rouge Parish, noting that decisions about closures or other emergency responses affect many families and local agencies. The public comment dramatized the human impact when communication to families is unclear.

Details from the meeting: Daryl Dorsey urged the board to ensure students have the same protections as district staff and visitors, describing the distress of seeing multiple police vehicles and not being able to reach children. Cole said a caller alerted the district to the possible weapon and that staff and security teams responded, confiscating the weapon before further harm occurred. \"We have 0 tolerance for that type of behavior, and we are going to evaluate, improve, and get better in terms of keeping our students safe,\" Cole said.

Board members asked for clarification and next steps. One board member asked whether metal detectors were being used consistently; the superintendent said the district had verified use of the equipment but had not yet validated effective operation at every school and that an investigation was underway.

The superintendent also explained a separate item listed on the consent agenda: test security. \"Test security simply is how do we ensure that there are environments for our students to test during LEAP 2025 this year, as well as ACT testing this year,\" Cole said, adding the state has specific guidelines for adults present during testing and that the district must ensure staff know and follow those procedures.

Next steps and context: Cole said he has met with state legislators and other partners to explore ways to increase school safety resources and asked the public to report threats or concerns. The board did not vote on additional safety funding or procedural changes at the Jan. 16 meeting; the superintendent said staff will continue to investigate and update the board and community.

Closing note: The exchange tied an immediate security incident to ongoing district policies on school safety and testing environments and drew public attention to how the district communicates with families during school emergencies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 16 2025, EBR School Board Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A parent told the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Jan. 16 that a weapon was discovered at Woodlawn High School earlier that day and urged the district to \"get serious about protecting our kids.\"","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},6356152,"Board renews CSAIL and BASIS Mid City charters and accepts IDEA surrender; several approvals passed on consent agenda",598,5689000,6287000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2217015-40ecaacb74d175ac8bbfe16ea79aed5c&start=5689&end=6287","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2217015-40ecaacb74d175ac8bbfe16ea79aed5c/thumbnail_5689000.jpg","/articles/6356152/Louisiana/Board-renews-CSAIL-and-BASIS-Mid-City-charters-and-accepts-IDEA-surrender-several-approvals-passed-on-consent-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356152-00d9e18a83075d7fb61059228b7aa167/orig.mp4?Expires=1775064880&Signature=l8Yi38XZizUM0OxWBoHOvQyn6wYq42kr25TlbBZ7JFwF-IlNL9SYHRgoJpfIIK4ci9Ymcff2dOSPEjY4nCcxU07Mx6M7WmzqxfTmI-Jx--SBJIPRnGyRAtkHIxPZ7xZ9O2UFmK4jme6~HIIs8iL9V0J3BG5B68dWIlv14c1ncstKyawipRObLXXdggj~tJ0gyffrHhpR9fSadzlRl1-oqxFZmek7l4BnZfGNGg9UlZWaEXtsFCYeVlacmD2h4f1AFgDquOKkJNn~9aED9YJZgOcmyuJp1syVJHHzF2m5hoJ4hf4BHvitObx8-KoQZTMRAGcYQzvszre4MjgeHntZvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board approved several charter and consent-agenda items at its Jan. 16 meeting, including renewals and a charter surrender.

CSAIL renewal: The board approved a three-year renewal for CSAIL (Children’s School for the Arts and Integrated Learning) following presentations by CSAIL representatives. Dwan Johnson, representing CSAIL, thanked the board and noted CSAIL is the district’s oldest authorizer relationship, dating to 1997. Andrea Mathis, principal of Cecil Elementary (a CSAIL school), described student successes and said the school is currently a C and continuing improvements. The board approved the renewal with a motion to renew for three years and instructions that renewals align with district policy.

BASIS Mid City renewal: The board approved a six-year renewal for BASIS Mid City. Speakers from BASIS highlighted gains that raised the campus from a D (57) to a B (76) school performance score and credited a combination of targeted intervention, teacher-led small groups and school leadership. Board members praised BASIS leadership and discussed opportunities for collaboration between charters and district schools.

IDEA Public Schools surrender: The board accepted the relinquishment terms for the IDEA Public Schools Louisiana charters for IDEA Bridge and IDEA Innovation and authorized the superintendent to enter administrative agreements with charter management organizations for the remainder of the existing charter terms, with a return to the board for final approvals of those agreements.

Consent agenda and other approvals: The board approved the consent agenda, which included a contract renewal with the City of Baton Rouge to provide adult education services and high school equivalency testing at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for $134,110 for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025; approval of the 2025 strategic plan with metrics to be provided by May 2025; and a resolution to call the May 3, 2025 property-tax renewal election. Minutes from December meetings were also approved earlier in the meeting.

Votes at a glance:
- CSAIL charter renewal: approved (three years)
- BASIS Mid City charter renewal: approved (six years)
- IDEA Public Schools charter relinquishment: accepted; superintendent authorized to negotiate administrative agreements and return to board for final approval
- Consent agenda (includes contract renewal with City of Baton Rouge, strategic plan, test security policy, call for election): approved

Next steps: The superintendent and board staff will finalize administrative agreements for IDEA charters and file renewal documentation for CSAIL and BASIS according to board policy. The district also will provide strategic-plan metrics by May 2025 as requested in the consent agenda approval.

Closing note: Board members expressed interest in increased collaboration with high-performing charters and reiterated the requirement to follow board policy and state rules for renewals and transitions.","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board approved a three-year renewal for CSAIL, a six-year renewal for BASIS Mid City, and accepted the relinquishment terms for IDEA Public Schools; the consent agenda — including a $134,110 contract renewal with the City of Baton Rouge for adult education — also passed.",{"_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},6356157,"East Baton Rouge school board denies three charter expansion requests, citing Bulletin 126 requirements",1717,3773000,5490000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2217015-40ecaacb74d175ac8bbfe16ea79aed5c&start=3773&end=5490","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2217015-40ecaacb74d175ac8bbfe16ea79aed5c/thumbnail_3773000.jpg","/articles/6356157/Louisiana/East-Baton-Rouge-school-board-denies-three-charter-expansion-requests-citing-Bulletin-126-requirements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356157-2db9020616e3600f43b257074149a3ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1775064880&Signature=YhzxD4sJgQZrYfVdsGQjburn3mLFntPsVcs91KBJAxK16fLJbre0iLCKgRD5kodDYO9lDmWp2raAFXqaPCyUOrM8AKP7kWF-f253N96PgTvGLZPbYH4n~POavitOEXMCRAoFHMtaF-JZVwtKRQ909BB6isTSRzlNGYVlBMCdXN3tIHOxHIa-Z2LxkE-Wjn5XE-lGdfRvQ3vkQrVhfuftPVBVa-jrn0nh~2v69g7iz0Zpepctuya2l1AI-9e2etdw87Vp99fhz8fXkPmsqGiyj4tP870MoXjNCxm0PlpXUDf60DRoEU2GrCJua3cGI9d-NkhrrxC~TLLOFt8QChMUrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted on Jan. 16 to deny three charter applications after a third-party evaluation and board discussion.

Katie Blanche, the board's third-party charter evaluator, told the board she had reviewed each application using the LDOE rubric and recommended denial of the applications from Collegiate Academies and two Geo North Baton Rouge applications. Blanche said Bulletin 126 requires applicants to apply as a type 1 or type 3 charter to the local board and be denied before seeking a type 2 charter through BESE, and that the applicants had asked to be considered as type 2 charters during interviews.

Why it matters: The decisions affect planned openings in 2026 and shape how charter growth is handled in East Baton Rouge Parish. Board members debated whether applicants should focus on improving existing campuses before expanding and discussed the district's limited role in BESE's charter-review process.

What the board decided: The board voted to deny Collegiate Academies’ application after a motion to deny was made and seconded; the motion carried. The board then denied the Geo North Baton Rouge Elementary and Geo North Baton Rouge Upper applications following similar motions. Board members questioned Collegiate Academies' request for expansion given mixed performance at its existing Baton Rouge campus; members praised Geo Academies’ existing results but noted the applicant had requested type 2 status.

Details from the evaluation: Blanche said Collegiate Academies operates several schools and that Collegiate Baton Rouge had a school performance score in the D range in 2023 and 2024; she wrote that Collegiate Academies stated it prepares college-bound scholars but did not demonstrate adequate evidence in areas required by the rubric. For the Geo applications, Blanche presented performance data for Geo schools showing progress ratings and some B and C letter grades at different campuses; nevertheless, the request to change charter type without being denied first led to her recommendation of denial under Bulletin 126.

Board reaction: Board members voiced two recurring themes: that underperforming operators should focus on improving existing schools before expanding, and that strong-performing charters could be partners but may choose not to be part of the district’s type 1 charter framework. One board member said the local board should send a letter to BESE explaining why an applicant should address performance issues at existing schools before expansion; other members said reasons for denial may vary by member and preferred not to conflate all motivations into one statement.

Outcome and next steps: The motions to deny carried on each application. The board did not approve any of the three charter applications; applicants may pursue other statutory paths consistent with Bulletin 126 and BESE rules.

Closing note: The denials were recorded after public comment and board deliberation; the board asked staff to follow required procedures for filing the board’s official actions.","The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted Jan. 16 to deny three charter applications — Collegiate Academies and two Geo North Baton Rouge applications — following a third-party evaluation that cited Bulletin 126 requirements and concerns about applicants’ requests to qualify as type 2 charters without prior denial.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents press board on school safety after weapon found at Woodlawn High; superintendent says metal detectors used but investigation continues

Board renews CSAIL and BASIS Mid City charters and accepts IDEA surrender; several approvals passed on consent agenda

East Baton Rouge school board denies three charter expansion requests, citing Bulletin 126 requirements