At the Committee of the Whole meeting on July 10, 2025, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board approved memoranda of understanding to continue dual-enrollment and early-college partnerships for the 2025–26 school year and heard a district presentation showing growth in student participation and program outcomes.

The presentation, led by Stacy Dupre, chief officer of support and special projects, and Beverly Tate, administrative director of counseling, said that in fall 2024, 1,282 students completed dual-enrollment courses (3,042 course completions) and that in spring 2025, 1,767 students completed 3,197 courses. Dupre told the board the district invested $3,248,360 in the program for the 2024–25 school year.

The presentation explained two program tracks. Under dual enrollment, students earn concurrent high-school and college credit. Under the early-college track, students follow a course progression designed to produce an academic associate degree along with a high-school diploma; the district’s partner for conferring associate degrees is Baton Rouge Community College.

Beverly Tate described steps the counseling department took to streamline course sequencing. She said counselors now use a course-progression chart that aligns high-school courses with the college credits students must complete for an associate degree and that the district has two pathway options (A and B) to give schools flexibility. Tate said BRCC requires students to complete at least 15 of the associate degree hours directly from BRCC for BRCC to confer the degree; students may combine hours from partner institutions to meet the remainder.

Dupre and Tate highlighted Glen Oaks High School as the early-college pilot: 18 graduates in May received associate degrees, and current projections show about 118 seniors could receive an associate degree next year if they stay on their current course plans. Board members praised the program as a pathway to reduce college cost and accelerate postsecondary attainment.

Board President Stewart made the motion to approve the renewals; Miss Powell Lewis seconded. The motion carried on a recorded vote.

Discussion-only items included board members asking about transferability of courses for students pursuing STEM majors and staff answering that many dual-enrollment courses are gen-ed prerequisites that transfer broadly within Louisiana institutions; staff said they were working to ensure science and math alignment where needed. The presentation also noted ongoing work with BRCC and other partners to keep the pathways aligned and to provide counselors with simulation tools to plan student schedules.

The board directed staff to continue implementation and to provide follow-up information as needed; no additional formal conditions were attached to the approvals.