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Tangipahoa Parish School Board highlights early‑learning gains, names top sites
Summary
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board on Jan. 27 recognized high‑performing early‑learning centers and public schools after district early‑childhood scores rose to about 5.73 (on a 1–7 scale), roughly 0.5 points above last year and above the state average. Certificates and banners were distributed to named sites.
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board on Jan. 27 recognized a slate of high‑performing early‑learning centers and two top‑scoring public schools after the district’s early‑childhood network score rose to roughly 5.73, an increase of about 0.5 from the prior year.
Miss Bridal, who presented the district’s early‑childhood report card, said the rating system is based on classroom observations and a 1‑to‑7 scale. “This is our annual report…this is the early childhood report card,” she said, adding that a score of roughly 5 or higher is considered high quality and that the district’s goal is to raise all sites to the ‘high proficient’ or ‘excellent’ range. “These people are not babysitting…They are teaching,” Bridal said, stressing the program’s focus on brain development before kindergarten.
The report card covers public schools, Type‑III childcare centers and Head Start classrooms; the district conducts fall and spring observations across classrooms and combines those results into a network score. Bridal reported the district is above the Louisiana average (about 5.54). She described program supports including coaches and a behavior interventionist, and named staff partners such as Kate and specialist Dr. Nikki Hill and consultant Donna Peterson.
Bridal provided a site breakdown: the district reported about 11 early‑learning sites rated excellent, 25 high proficient, seven proficient, three approaching proficient and zero unsatisfactory (figures reported by the presenter). For Head Start the presenter listed approximately one excellent site, five high‑proficient sites and one proficient site. In public schools, Bridal named La Rondiere Elementary and Hammond Westside as the district’s highest‑scoring schools.
Individual early‑learning centers singled out for recognition included Pumpkin Patch Academy, Kingdom Kids I, Strawberry Castle, Kids Haven, Living Way Instruction Zone, Ponchatoula Prep Montessori and Eagle Christian (reported by Bridal as the highest‑scoring early‑learning center). Certificates and banners were distributed so sites can publicly display their performance designation.
Why it matters: early‑childhood ratings are used to target coaching and intervention supports intended to improve readiness for kindergarten and long‑term reading outcomes. Bridal emphasized the district’s approach is designed to support children identified as at risk and to provide concentrated intervention early.
The presentation concluded with a distribution of certificates and a reminder to recipients to collect banners before leaving. No formal action was required for the recognitions; the board proceeded with business afterward.
