St. Bernard Parish School Board adopts 2025–26 progression plan, approves multiple policy revisions and votes to enter executive session on litigation

The St. Bernard Parish School Board on Aug. 26, 2025 approved the district's 2025–26 pupil progression plan, adopted revisions to multiple board policies and voted to go into executive session to discuss pending litigation against the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (case no. 24-0892/D).

Board members voted unanimously on the progression plan and on each policy revision presented by committee. The board also approved a motion to enter executive session to discuss the litigation; the motion passed unanimously.

Why this matters: the pupil progression plan sets the district's academic promotion and retention rules for the coming school year; policy revisions adopted by the board affect internal governance and student-related policies the board reviews annually. The board did not provide substantive detail in the meeting record about the specific content of the policy revisions, only that the committee had recommended each change and that the board approved them.

Votes at a glance - Agenda item 2.1: Incorporate the report of the general committee meeting minutes of 08/12/2025 into the minutes of the 08/26/2025 regular meeting. Motion by Mr. Warner, seconded by Mr. Campbell. Outcome: approved (vote recorded as 8-0). - Agenda item 2.2: Approval of the regular monthly meeting minutes of 07/22/2025 as published on 08/22/2025. Motion by Miss White, seconded by Mr. Rodriguez. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Agenda item 4.1: Approval of the St. Bernard Parish Public Schools 2025–26 pupil progression plan. Motion by Miss Dysart, seconded by Miss Lee Bowman. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Agenda item 4.2: Adoption of the revision of school board policy IFA. Motion reported from committee; mover recorded as Mr. Warner, second Mr. Rodriguez. Outcome: approved (vote recorded in meeting as passed). - Agenda item 4.3: Adoption of the revision of school board policy JVD. Motion by Miss White, seconded by Miss Dysart. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Agenda item 4.4: Adoption of the revision of school board policy IFBGA. Motion by Miss Dysart, seconded by Mr. Warner. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Agenda item 4.5: Adoption of the revision of school board policy JCDAF (transcript spelling "j c d a f, f"). Motion by Miss White, seconded by Miss Dysart. Outcome: approved (meeting record shows an initial 8-0 then a subsequent clarification that the final vote recorded was 9-0). - Agenda item 4.6: Adoption of the revision of school board policy JGCE. Motion by Mr. Warner, seconded by Miss White. Outcome: approved (9-0). - Agenda item 4.7: Adoption of the revision of school board policy JGCF. Motion by Miss Lee Bowman, seconded by Mr. Campbell. Outcome: approved (9-0). - Agenda item 5.1: Motion to enter executive session to discuss Saint Bernard Parish School Board v. Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, case number transcribed as "30 fourth j d c number 24Dash0892SlashD." Motion to enter executive session was moved and seconded; outcome: approved (9-0). The board later voted to return to regular session.

Discussion and context Board members stated that most policy revisions had been discussed at committee meetings prior to the regular meeting; the board record on Aug. 26 shows no extended public debate about the content of those revisions. Committee presenters and staff were present for questions; the board cast roll-call votes for each item. The meeting record does not include the text of the policy revisions or specific changes proposed; minutes and committee documents were referenced as the source for details.

The executive session was convened under the agenda item for litigation. The transcript identifies the opposing party as the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and gives a case reference as recorded above; the board did not disclose details of the litigation in open session.

Next steps and oversight Board members placed no additional public directions in the transcript regarding specific implementation steps tied to the policy revisions. Staff and committee presenters were recorded as having been present; where the committee recommended changes, board members noted those discussions had already occurred at the committee meeting. The board will proceed per the adopted policies and the progression plan; any administrative implementation will be handled by district staff as customary.

Ending The board concluded the formal business items and then reviewed items to be placed on the next committee agenda before adjourning.