WBRZ - Baton Rouge

GONZALES, La. - Despite its ranking as one of Louisiana's top school districts, the Ascension Parish school system faces additional challenges.

Superintendent Patrice Pujol met with about two dozen business leaders and elected officials on Thursday to talk about future developments in parish schools.

The Advocate reports some of the efforts include construction of new schools as enrollment grows, meeting escalating performance standards for students and teachers, and recruiting young and qualified new teachers.

Although the district is in the middle of a $100 million improvement project affecting many of its schools, Pujol said officials are already planning for new schools.

If current population estimates are realized, Ascension will need to build a new school a year for the next 20 years, she said.