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