WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• NCAA APR again hits schools with lesser resources

  June 11, 2013 3:45 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Eighteen Division I teams will miss the postseason, and another 18 squads in men's basketball and nine other college sports will trade practice time for remedial classroom sessions under NCAA academic progress reports released Tuesday. Poor Academic Progress Rate scores mean postseason bans in 2013-14 for teams... more »

• Teacher quits instructing amid La. teaching controversy

  June 2, 2013 7:32 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Derrick Petit tells former LSU classmate Tanesha Craig. He broke the news to her today that he is leaving behind a profession they both dreamed of back in college. "I feel like I've done what I can for the students in the classroom," he says. Petit... more »

• West Feliciana joining schools coop

  June 1, 2013 10:43 AM

  ST. FRANCISVILLE, La. - The West Feliciana Parish School Board will join a cooperative of school districts that hope to save money through bulk purchases of computers and software and by devising online courses. The Advocate reports the district will pay $1,500 to join the District Cooperative of Louisiana. The... more »

• Video of youth fighting: plea or politics? Play Video

  May 31, 2013 9:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A video montage showing fights involving young people is raising questions about the timing of the release. The videos were released on-line by the organization Local Schools for Local Children on the heels of the passage of the bill that set up a breakway school district... more »

• Local schools prepared for disaster Play Video

  May 21, 2013 6:01 PM

  GONZALES - Pecan Grove Primary is nearing the end of the school year, but students are still practicing for a severe weather scenario. This comes after a tornado ripped apart an Oklahoma town and damaged two schools. At least seven children were killed at one of those schools. ... more »

• Kids rescued from rubble at Okla. elementary

  May 20, 2013 4:02 PM

  MOORE, Okla. - Several children have been pulled out of the rubble alive at a school in an Oklahoma City suburb. An Associated Press photographer saw several children being pulled out of what was left of the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., on Monday after a massive tornado... more »

• Audit: DOE skipped steps in monitoring charters

  May 20, 2013 11:20 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A new audit says the state education department had gaps in its monitoring of the academic performance of Louisiana's charter schools. The review, released Monday by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office, looked at charter school monitoring activities during the 2011-12 budget year. The audit says the Department... more »

• St. Helena schools to offer buyouts

  May 12, 2013 10:29 AM

  GREENSBURG, La. - The St. Helena Parish School Board has approved a plan to offer early retirement buyouts to some staff members. The Advocate reports certified employees would be offered $5,500 to take early retirement, and noncertified employees would be offered $3,000. School system officials say six certified and three... more »

• Schools lose power in storm

  May 10, 2013 10:19 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Two schools in East Baton Rouge Parish had to make changes today after losing power in a storm early this morning. EBR Schools Spokesperson Suan Nelson said Riveroaks Elementary lost power after students arrived for classes this morning. Entergy said it would not be restored... more »

• Voucher program needs funding Play Video

  May 8, 2013 6:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A day after a court ruled the funding source for the state's private school voucher program was unconstitutional, lawmakers at the Capitol are discussing how to fund the program. In previous years, funding for a similar program in New Orleans was allocated in the general budget, known... more »

• Vandals cause thousands of dollars of damage to EBR schools Play Video

  April 22, 2013 3:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A trio of vandals caused thousands of dollars in damages to two schools in East Baton Rouge Parish over the weekend. Pictures News 2 obtained detail the damage inside. Broken windows, shattered glass, and ransacked offices and classrooms greeted administrators as they showed up to school. ... more »

• 2 Bossier Parish schools buildings to close

  April 19, 2013 9:09 AM

  BENTON- Two Bossier Parish school facilities will close at the end of this school year in an effort to cut costs. The Times reports the Bossier Parish School Board unanimously approved the closure of Charlotte Mitchell Education Center and Bossier Learning Center -- the district's adult education program. The move... more »

• Ascension voters to decide 3 school taxes May 4

  April 18, 2013 8:39 AM

  GONZALES - Voters in Ascension Parish will choose to renew or end three school taxes that account for $31.3 million of the school district's annual budget at the May 4 election. The three property tax renewals are dedicated toward teacher salaries, technology and facility maintenance. Early voting begins Saturday... more »

• BESE drops plan to change rules

  April 17, 2013 9:21 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's top school board has dropped proposed new rules that public school counselors and librarians said would diminish their roles and hurt students. Both state Superintendent of Education John White, who initially pushed the changes, and Chas Roemer, president of the state Board of Elementary and... more »

• Teachers among those being laid off at area school system

  April 16, 2013 10:19 PM

  ST. FRANCISVILLE- A number of West Feliciana Parish School System employees were told Tuesday, they were being laid off. Eighteen workers, mostly teachers, were told their terminations were due to a lack of money and a drop in enrollment. In March, Superintendent Hollis Milton sent a reduction in... more »

• Dodgeball banned

  March 28, 2013 7:42 PM

  WINDHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE- Dodgeball is banned in schools in this small New Hampshire town after a parent complained his child was being bullied. The school board went after the game saying its violent and promotes bullying. The object is to throw a ball to hit opposing players to eliminate them... more »

• Bill filed to split public schools in Baton Rouge

  March 27, 2013 2:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE- For the second year in a row, a state lawmaker has filed a bill to establish a breakaway school district. The bill, if it becomes a law, would pave the way for schools in the southeastern section of Baton Rouge to split from the East Baton Rouge... more »

• Livingston schools get more security

  March 21, 2013 9:12 PM

  LIVINGSTON - Thursday night a unanimous decision by the Livingston Parish School Board to add more security to 44 schools around the parish. Four deputies, will be added to help secure the schools, one deputy is already working. A tentative plan will be for the deputies to rotate... more »

• West Feliciana school board freezes teacher pay

  March 20, 2013 8:06 AM

  ST. FRANCISVILLE - A $1.5 million budget shortfall has forced the West Feliciana Parish School Board to freeze teacher salaries, cut administrative pay and propose a retirement incentive program. The board's secretary and finance manager, Ruthie Davis, told the board Tuesday night that retirement funding costs have skyrocketed in the... more »

• BESE approves K-12 funding plan Play Video

  March 7, 2013 6:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved Gov. Bobby Jindal's school funding formula for the 2013-2014 school year, which protects his school voucher program. Last year a judge ruled the funding formula unconstitutional. That case is on appeal with the state Supreme Court. ... more »

• Breakaway school district proposed in Iberville Parish

  March 1, 2013 8:20 AM

  ST. GABRIEL - Some residents and city leaders in St. Gabriel are looking to break away from the parish's school district to form their own municipal system. St. Gabriel Mayor Lionel Johnson said Thursday the community wants to opt out of the parish's school system because of "years of frustration"... more »

• Parents warned of scabies at school

  February 22, 2013 10:43 PM

  CLINTON- The school system in East Feliciana Parish alerted parents Friday that at least one school had an outbreak of scabies. Scabies is easily transferable. The outbreak was found at Clinton Elementary, but since students share transportation, families at all schools were notified. The school was disinfected.... more »

• EBR Schools monitoring social media Play Video

  February 20, 2013 5:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Social media has changed the way many people interact on a daily basis. Sites like Facebook and Twitter is a great tool for communication, but it can also act as a gateway for cyberbullying and threats. This week, police arrested 18-year-old Kyle Blackburn after they said... more »

• Burglary suspect caught after schools locked down Play Video

  February 18, 2013 4:13 PM

  SPRINGFIELD- Sheriff's deputies arrested a man suspected in a burglary and carjacking after a daylong search in Livingston Parish. Lori Steele, spokesperson for the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, said deputies arrested Jarred Tyquan Anderson Dotey, 19, in suspicion of simple burglary, simple battery and resisting an officer. The... more »

• More schools added to Louisiana voucher program

  February 13, 2013 3:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE - More schools have been approved for Louisiana's voucher program next year, which means the number of students using taxpayer dollars to go to private schools will likely grow as well. The state Department of Education said another 16 schools were approved to take voucher students next... more »

• Judge refuses to modify desegregation decree

  February 7, 2013 6:43 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The federal judge overseeing Tangipahoa Parish's decades-old desegregation case has denied the school board's request for a status conference to discuss possible modifications to the court-ordered desegregation plan. U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle instead directed the attorneys to meet in an effort to reach a consensus... more »

• West Feliciana schools receive additional security

  January 30, 2013 7:44 AM

  ST. FRANCISVILLE - The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office has assigned an additional deputy to school security duties, giving each of the parish's four schools a full-time officer on campus. During a briefing on security issues on Tuesday, Chief Sheriff's Deputy Randy Metz told school board members the fourth officer... more »

• Miss. House OKs charter school bill early Thursday

  January 24, 2013 2:36 AM

  JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi House members are giving approval to a bill to expand charter schools in the state. It took until nearly 1 a.m. Thursday morning, but House members voted 64-55 to pass House Bill 369. Supporters of the bill say the long debate was worth a measure they... more »

• Group shows support in Tangi desegregation plan

  January 23, 2013 6:58 AM

  AMITE - A Hammond group's show of unity and support for the Tangipahoa Parish school system exposed a deepening rift among school board members regarding possible modifications to the district's desegregation plan. About 30 parents and community leaders attended the board's Tuesday meeting wearing purple to show their unity... more »

• Lawmakers discuss school security Play Video

  January 17, 2013 5:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Louisiana Legislators are trying to figure out the best ways to keep children safe in school, following last months massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary that left 20 children dead. The Homeland Security Committee met for hours at the Capitol to discuss ways to improve security and look... more »

• Voucher program can continue in Tangipahoa

  January 16, 2013 2:30 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal appeals court has ruled that the state can continue its private school tuition voucher program in Tangipahoa Parish, despite the Tangipahoa Parish School Board's claim that the program could affect a decades-old school desegregation case. A U.S. District judge had blocked the voucher program... more »

• Freezing rain closes schools, cancels flights

  January 15, 2013 3:01 PM

  SHREVEPORT, La.- Freezing rain and sleet closed Grambling State University early, canceled flights, sent drivers skidding and broke power lines in north Louisiana. Police in both Shreveport and Monroe closed ramps onto Interstate 20. Grambling sent students home at noon Tuesday but Louisiana Tech stayed open. Northwestern State canceled evening... more »

• Official: Report on leave inaccurate

  January 15, 2013 9:02 AM

  PLAQUEMINE - Iberville Parish School Superintendent Ed Cancienne has challenged the facts stated in a recent attorney general's opinion alleging the school district had violated state law by letting 12-month employees work "skeleton shifts" during holiday breaks. Cancienne and Brandie Blanchard, the district's personnel coordinator, told members of the Iberville... more »

• Natchitoches School Board says no to new charter

  January 3, 2013 9:16 AM

  NATCHITOCHES - The Natchitoches Parish School Board has denied an application for a new charter school. The school was to serve at-risk middle school students. But the application was deemed inadequate by Kimberly Williams of the Baton Rouge consulting firm New Millennium Education. The board had hired the firm... more »

• NRA: Public wants armed guards in every school

  December 23, 2012 10:27 AM

  WASHINGTON - National Rifle Association executive Wayne LaPierre says the American people think it would be "crazy" not to put armed guards in every school, as the group has suggested in the wake of the massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. LaPierre also contends that any new efforts... more »

• Ruling on school reform expected today

  December 18, 2012 10:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE- A ruling on the portion of the governor's school reform package known as the 'Talent Act,' is expected today in 19th Judicial District Court. The act changes the way teachers are hired, fired, and evaluated. It also adds language to allow school districts to change pay scales... more »

• Decision on school mandates pushed back to January

  December 5, 2012 7:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has delayed a decision on shrinking the number of mandates required of local school districts. Superintendent of Education John White proposed getting rid of the statewide school calendar, changing physical education standards to allow credit for extracurricular activities like... more »

• St. Helena board approves bid to revamp building

  November 30, 2012 8:41 AM

  GREENSBURG - St. Helena Parish high school students could be dining in a new cafeteria next school year. The school board approved a low bid Thursday for renovations of the former technical college building next to the high school campus. Blount Construction, of Walker, won the contract with... more »

• Education leaders want placement tests for younger students

  November 29, 2012 11:28 PM

  BATON ROUGE- State education leaders will ask the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to change how students earn credit for classes. Under a plan to be presented to BESE, students would be able to take tests and earn credit for classes they never actually took. The system would... more »

• Powerball money will help kids Play Video

  November 28, 2012 5:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Every dollar spent on lottery tickets in Louisiana will benefit students in public schools, according to lottery officials. "In Louisiana 35 cents of every dollar sold for tickets, including Powerball tickets, is transferred to the state treasury to help fund K-12 public education," said Kelly Spell, Louisiana... more »

• Ascension Parish among finalists for federal grant

  November 28, 2012 9:06 AM

  DONALDSONVILLE - The Ascension Parish school district is one of 60 finalists left in the running for a prestigious Race to the Top district grant being awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. Superintendent Patrice Pujol said Tuesday the district made the final paring. Ascension Parish is the only... more »

• Meeting to discuss new school zones

  November 12, 2012 10:05 AM

  BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Parish School District will hold community meetings this week to discuss a new proposal to create four regional attendance zones. The proposal is designed to give parents a choice of schools within a specified area, instead of the school that is designated to... more »

• School system considers plan to re-enroll dropouts

  November 9, 2012 9:06 AM

  LAFAYETTE - The Lafayette Parish School System may soon partner with a company that seeks dropouts and gives them a chance to finish high school anytime and anywhere. The company, The American Academy's No Dropouts program, works with school districts to bring dropouts back to school and provides educational... more »

• Iberia school board: Halt federal cuts

  November 8, 2012 8:01 AM

  NEW IBERIA - The Iberia Parish School Board has voted to support a resolution asking Congress to prevent $810,000 in cuts from impacting the school system's budget as it relates to funding for special education. Superintendent of Schools Dale Henderson says the 2011 federal Budget Control Act includes automatic... more »

• Public school's bible history class has fewer students

  November 3, 2012 10:52 AM

  AMITE- Some school leaders in Tangipahoa Parish want to do more to get kids to take a Bible history class. Enrollment in the class has fallen. It's an elective, approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Currently, it's only taught at Ponchatoula High School. But, board... more »

• Board committee wants to destroy, rebuild Lee HS on Lee Dr.

  November 1, 2012 10:05 PM

  BATON ROUGE- School board members suggest demolishing and rebuilding Lee High School on Lee Drive. A committee of the board met Thursday night and made that decision. Now, the entire East Baton Rouge Parish School System has to make a final decision. It's estimated to cost about $58... more »

• New superintendent hired in Zachary

  October 25, 2012 9:41 PM

  ZACHARY- One of Louisiana's best school districts hired its next leader Thursday night. Scott Devillier was appointed Zachary School System's superintendent. Devillier is currently working for the district as director of operations. The board expects to have a contract for him by the next board meeting. Devillier... more »

• St. Helena schools under review for accreditation

  October 22, 2012 10:07 AM

  GREENSBURG - An external review team for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools will be on campus at St. Helena Central Elementary and High schools this week. The team will interview administrators, observe teachers and speak with student and parent groups in a process school officials hope will... more »

• Parents get ready for school voucher fight Play Video

  October 11, 2012 10:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A lawsuit to stop the school vouchers goes to court next month. But parents of students benefiting from the vouchers met at Hosanna Christian School to look at ways to fight the suit. Hosanna has a large number of students on the voucher program and... more »

• E. Feliciana school board panel votes for layoffs

  October 11, 2012 8:15 AM

  CLINTON - The East Feliciana School Board's Finance Committee has voted to support laying off enough school employees to offset a looming deficit resulting from a drop in enrollment. The recommendation to begin the layoffs effective Oct. 31 goes to the full board for consideration at a special meeting... more »

• Flooded St. John schools may not reopen this year

  October 5, 2012 2:32 PM

  LAPLACE - It may be a full school year before students from East St. John High School and Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School can return to their campuses. St. John the Baptist Parish school officials had hoped to have the two campuses, which were flooded during Hurricane Isaac, ready for... more »

• Central schools approve makeup plan

  September 26, 2012 7:45 AM

  CENTRAL - The school days for most Central students will be extended by several minutes, and other adjustments are planned to make up for the four days of school lost when Hurricane Isaac blew through Louisiana in late August. The Central Community School Board on Monday agreed on how... more »

• Lockdown lifted at four schools in the LSU area

  September 17, 2012 3:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE - School lockdowns have been lifted for four schools in the LSU area. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board officials put Buchanan Elementary, McKinley High School, Polk Elementary and University Terrace on lockdown as a precautionary measure following a bomb threat at LSU. School Board officials... more »

• 5 make Zachary superintendent short list

  September 14, 2012 8:07 AM

  ZACHARY - The Zachary Community School Board has voted to invite five applicants for the district superintendent's post to attend the first round of interviews, scheduled Sept. 25 and Sept. 26. On Thursday, the board members chose to interview five after first indicating in writing whether or not they... more »

• Construction projects planned for 6 EBR schools

  September 13, 2012 8:47 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A series of improvement projects are scheduled to take place at six schools across East Baton Rouge Parish. School board members approved the plans Wednesday night during a "committee of the whole" meeting. The schools scheduled for construction work are Belfair, Bernard Terrace, Greenbrier and... more »

• Voucher student numbers to be tallied by next week

  September 6, 2012 7:21 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A count of how many Louisiana students are enrolled in private and parochial schools through the taxpayer-funded voucher program will be available next week. Barry Landry, a spokesman for the Department of Education, says schools participating in the program have until Sunday to report their enrollment... more »

• Central schools pay landowner $14K

  August 24, 2012 8:00 AM

  CENTRAL - The Central Community School Board has agreed to pay $14,000 to Cynthia Dantoni for less than a tenth of an acre of land in Central. The settlement ended a dispute that was preventing the completion of a third entrance to the new Central Intermediate and Middle schools... more »

• LSU: About 20 schools have inquired about Mathieu

  August 15, 2012 2:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE - LSU says that about 20 college football programs have asked for permission to speak with All-America cornerback and punt returner Tyrann Mathieu. Herb Vincent, the university's vice chancellor of communications, says LSU only considers granting requests to schools Mathieu has approved, consistent with school policy on athletic... more »

• East Feliciana Schools plan to raise the bar Play Video

  August 3, 2012 4:39 PM

  EAST FELICIANA PARISH - Students in East Feliciana Parish schools got to a early start on the school year today, hitting the books on the first day of school. Teachers in the area prepared during the summer to begin lessons on the first day to get a good start.... more »

• Ascension Schools building on a new year Play Video

  August 1, 2012 6:03 PM

  DUTCHTOWN- One week away from the first day of school, construction is still underway at Dutchtown Middle School where crews are building a new gym, expanding the cafeteria and building a new classroom building. But school administrators say construction shouldn't affect students. "It does look like a construction... more »

• Voucher schools include some teaching creationism

  July 30, 2012 1:58 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Taxpayer dollars in Louisiana's new voucher program will be paying to send children to schools that teach creationism and question evolution, challenging the lessons central to public school science classrooms. Several religious schools that will be educating taxpayer-subsidized students tout their creationist views. Some schools question whether... more »

• Ascension Parish schools expand iPad use

  July 9, 2012 9:10 AM

  DONALDSONVILLE - The Ascension Parish school system could become one of the first districts in the state to hand a personal computing device to each of its middle and high school students. The school district is expanding its "one-to-one" technology program for the 2012-13 school year, providing an estimated 1,800... more »

• Slate of new courses set for La. schools

  June 27, 2012 7:47 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana is about to become what officials call the first state to launch a huge expansion of how courses are offered to public school students, with private firms, colleges and even former teachers expected to enter a revamped education system. Education leaders are touting the expansion as... more »

• East Feliciana schools declare financial emergency

  June 21, 2012 7:01 AM

  CLINTON - The East Feliciana Parish School Board unanimously approved a central office reorganization plan that Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said would save the district $500,000 but protect classrooms from budget cuts. Board members agreed Tuesdays to declare a financial emergency, called an exigency, and voted to freeze 1.5... more »

• Local high schools compete in 7-on-7 league

  June 20, 2012 6:57 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Several area teams are gearing up for the 2012 football season by participating in a 7-on-7 passing league this summer. Schools like Denham Springs, Zachary, University High and St. Amant will host league play today. It allows high-flying offensive-minded programs to work on their rhythm... more »

• Louisiana Believes plan unveiled Play Video

  June 18, 2012 11:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Teachers make the rules in Louisiana now. It's part of sweeping changes to education that start in the Fall. It's called Louisiana Believes and it was announced Monday night. The state says the idea is to allow teachers to create, not just comply and educators are... more »

• Tangipahoa schools explore learning options

  June 11, 2012 8:42 AM

  AMITE - The Tangipahoa Parish school officials are exploring ways to expand virtual learning opportunities in grades 6-12, but some board members are concerned about the program's ability to meet the needs of at-risk students. Chief Academic Officer Melissa Stilley says implementing a virtual learning program would allow the district... more »

• Monroe school board to meet about charter schools

  May 27, 2012 11:50 AM

  MONROE - The Monroe City School Board has scheduled a special meeting Tuesday to consider a proposal to change Neville High School to a charter school and one for a proposed new arts and performance charter school for at-risk youth. Charters have a June 1 deadline to file a letter... more »

• Schools agree to accept vouchers Play Video

  May 22, 2012 6:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE - More than 5,100 students who have vouchers will be accepted into "A" or "B"-ranked schools next year. In the Baton Rouge area, 30 schools will accept a total of 1,136 kids. That's good news for Nancy LeBlanc and her daughter, Katie, who didn't expect many high... more »

• DOE accepting voucher applicants, announces schools

  May 22, 2012 12:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE - More than 5,000 students can get new taxpayer-funded voucher slots at private schools, under a law passed this session expanding a New Orleans voucher program statewide. The state education department announced Tuesday that in addition to the 2,300 existing voucher slots available to New Orleans students, seats... more »

• Dept. of Education to announce voucher schools

  May 22, 2012 10:28 AM

  BATON ROUGE-- Louisiana's Department of Education plans to announce schools that will accept vouchers at noon Tuesday. In order to be eligible for a state-funded scholarship to an A or B-rated school, children must attend a C, D or F-rated school and meet certain income requirements. News 2's... more »

• Deal means Catholic schools could start earlier Play Video

  May 15, 2012 6:12 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Start time for students in East Baton Rouge Catholic Schools could be bumped up from 8:30 a.m. to 7:45 next year. It is a compromise the Catholic Diocese and the East Baton Rouge Parish came to because of their 2012-2013 budget crunch. EBR Schools plans to... more »

• EBR schools, Diocese strike deal on bus schedule change to save money

  May 14, 2012 10:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Catholic school students may have to get up earlier to catch the bus. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board President Barbara Freiberg tells News 2 the Diocese of Baton Rouge is requesting the change to help the East Baton Rouge School System save money. The district was... more »

• Iberville opens new learning center

  May 14, 2012 11:17 AM

  PLAQUEMINE - The Iberville Parish School System has opened its new $2.4 million Science, Technology, Engineering and Math learning center. Project manager Patrick Norris said the new 11,000-square-foot center took a little more than a year to construct. Five classrooms were added to the Math, Science and Arts Academy-West... more »

• Many public schools say "no" to accepting vouchers Play Video

  May 10, 2012 5:37 PM

  BATON ROUGE - News 2 did not find a single public school system in the Baton Rouge area that definitely planned to accept students taking part in Governor Jindal's voucher program. The statewide scholarship program would let qualified students in failing schools get vouchers to help them attend non-public... more »

• Schools decide on voucher system

  May 10, 2012 10:28 AM

  BATON ROUGE - School systems have about a week to decide if they will allow students from failing schools into their "A" and "B" schools. It's a tricky situation, because money is a factor most systems are worried about. Some in our area have decided against allowing students,... more »

• Moms speak out against breakaway school district Play Video

  May 9, 2012 6:08 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A breakaway school district in East Baton Rouge Parish is now one step closer to reality. A House Education Committee gave the okay to two bills needed to create it. The new district would include the Shenandoah and Woodlawn areas. It will have ten schools, with about... more »

• Zachary schools "flip-flop" on vouchers Play Video

  May 8, 2012 6:14 PM

  ZACHARY - Zachary's independent school system changed their minds on whether to allow students with vouchers from failing schools. Superintendent Warren Drake's final answer is "no." Back in April, the schools voted to allow thirty students from schools with failing scores. That would mean fifteen kindergartners and fifteen first... more »

• Zachary schools plan not to accept vouchers

  May 8, 2012 10:00 AM

  BATON ROUGE-- Zachary school officials changed their minds and decided not to accept vouchers from thirty students at failing schools. The school board originally voted to allow the students on April 26. A release Monday reversed that decision. News 2's Stephanie Ryan gets answers on the change of... more »

• Questions raised about Principal hire at Central Middle Play Video

  May 1, 2012 4:56 PM

  CENTRAL- The Central School Board approved Superintendent Michael Faulk's recommendation to hire Alvin Chapman as the Principal for Central Middle School last night. Less than 24 hours after that decision, there's controversy. "I conducted interviews and I checked references," Faulk said. "Based on interviews and references, I felt this... more »

• School board authorizes West Feliciana sales tax

  April 25, 2012 9:47 PM

  ST. FRANCISVILLE, La. (AP) - The West Feliciana Parish School Board has adopted an ordinance to begin collecting a new half-cent sales tax that voters approved Saturday. The 10-year tax, which raises the school board's total sales tax levy to 3 percent, passed by a vote of 1,331 to 568.... more »

• New EBR superintendent ready for district's challenges Play Video

  April 13, 2012 4:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Budgets, break-away attempts and an embattled school board are all on Bernard Taylor's to-do list. The new leader for East Baton Rouge Parish Schools is already elbow-deep in the challenges. It's what Taylor says drew him here. He says he's taken on every issue facing Baton... more »

• State education leaders support effort to create new SEBR school district

  April 12, 2012 10:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Members of the BESE board, that oversees public schools across the state, say East Baton Rouge Schools are troubled, and they applaud any effort to do something different, even if it's parents doing something on their own. Baton Rouge member Chas Roemer says what's worked for breakaway... more »

• EBR students could face random gun searches

  April 6, 2012 10:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Parish students could be subjected to random, school-wide searches for guns if some school administrators have their way. At a meeting Thursday, EBR School officials discussed regular sweeps where all students would be searched for guns and other weapons at randomly selected schools.... more »

• Wrecked School gets Free Concert

  March 20, 2012 7:41 PM

  A high school in Indiana that was ravaged by a tornado won a free concert by country music trio Lady Antebellum after an online campaign. Schools from as far away as Wisconsin submitted YouTube videos urging the group to choose Henryville, Indiana as the winner of its "Own the Night"... more »

• E. Baton Rouge school board to send layoff notices

  March 16, 2012 9:01 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Parish school system is sending its 6,000-plus employees a letter letting them know they could be laid off to balance the system's books. The Advocate reports the school board approved a resolution Thursday invoking its Reduction In Force policy. The Reduction In Force... more »