On July 10 the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board approved a package of professional-services contracts covering arts integration, after-school programs, student success coaching, curriculum platforms and other student supports for the 2025–26 school year.

Approved contracts included: Kids Orchestra — $445,000 for the after-school orchestra program (general fund and Title IV); Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge — $65,000 for arts-integrated instruction (Title IV); Volunteers in Public Schools — $25,000 and $58,000 for Everybody Reads and Everyone Counts programs (Title I); City Year — $390,000 to provide student-success coach teams (general fund and Title I) to Park Forest Middle, Claiborne Elementary and Capital Elementary; Baton Rouge Youth Coalition/BRYC — $786,385 for ACT preparation, postsecondary access, advising across 10 high schools and quarterly professional development (supplemental course allocation); Center for High School Success — $196,740 for training, coaching and data support (Title I); Humanities AMP — $120,000 to provide curriculum and volunteer supports, especially for EL populations (general fund); Amplify — $154,000 for DIBELS-related intervention site licenses (EEF); NotaBell (CAMI) — $63,315 for an online annotation system (general fund); Nearpod — $163,379.04 for a supplemental K–12 curriculum platform (general fund).

Speakers representing partners and district managers described program scopes. Arquavius Gordon confirmed City Year teams will work in three TAP schools and described alignment with professional development. Lucas (Baton Rouge Youth Coalition) said a revised playbook and a forthcoming Financial Aid chapter will be available and that Mastery Prep would support distribution. Board members repeatedly praised programs such as the Center for High School Success and Humanities AMP for their role in turnaround and graduation gains at specific high schools.

Each contract was moved and approved by recorded vote. Several board members noted the district’s improved timing in completing contracts earlier in the summer compared with prior years, saying this should help partners prepare for the school year.