East Baton Rouge Parish School System

Students at the Helm

Setting a Higher Standard for Real-World Readiness

 

Public education systems across North America are navigating enrollment shifts, workforce shortages, and rapid technological change. The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is responding with a clear, practical focus: strengthening learning environments, expanding student opportunity, and aligning education with the realities students will face after graduation. The district’s work reflects a deliberate shift toward long-term thinking, where academic achievement, workforce readiness, and student belief are treated as inseparable priorities.

Under the leadership of LaMont Cole, Superintendent of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, the district is centered on a straightforward commitment. Every student deserves the opportunity to learn well, feel safe, and pursue pathways that lead to meaningful futures.

“We are trying to create a system where students can learn at a high level in a safe environment,” Cole explains. “That high level looks different for every student, but our responsibility is to make sure they have the support, the instruction, and the opportunities to reach it.”

A Vision Grounded in Opportunity and Belonging

For Cole, the district’s mission extends well beyond academics. It begins with students feeling seen, supported, and confident enough to engage fully in their learning.

“We want students to wake up every day and walk into a building that is clean, safe, and loving,” he says. “A place where teachers care about them, where they feel free to ask questions, explore their interests, and grow into who they want to be.”

That philosophy shapes how the district approaches post-secondary preparation. Rather than funnelling students into a single outcome, the system is designed to equip them for multiple futures.

“When students exit the K to 12 experiences, they should be able to walk into high-skilled, high-demand jobs,” Cole adds. “Or, if they choose college or the military, they should be fully prepared for that as well.”

Connecting School Success to Community Success

A central theme of the district’s strategy is the recognition that public education plays a foundational role in Baton Rouge’s economic and social health.

“The majority of the workforce in Baton Rouge comes from the public school system,” Cole states. “Even if families choose not to send their children to our schools, their lives are still impacted by how we prepare students.”

He acknowledges that, historically, the district spent too much time responding to criticism rather than proactively sharing its progress and successes.

“We are being much more intentional about telling our story,” Cole explains. “As a result, we see the community viewing the school system very differently.”

That shift has strengthened partnerships across business, industry, and government, reinforcing the view that student preparation directly influences workforce stability and regional growth.

Realignment Decisions That Redirect Resources to Students

One of the most consequential steps the district has taken is its realignment plan, which included the closure of nine underutilized schools. While difficult, the decision was driven by a commitment to direct resources where they would benefit students most.

“The goal is always to put students first,” says Pamela Whitley, CEO of the Edgewood Group and consultant to the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. “The district had buildings that were not fully populated and in need of significant investment.”

Whitley chaired public meetings and worked closely with district leaders to integrate enrollment data, facility conditions, academic performance, and community feedback into the final plan.

“We focused on combining students into better facilities where we could create higher quality learning environments,” she explains. “In some cases, we were able to expand educational capacity and strengthen early learning models.”

That realignment enabled the district to invest more directly in instruction, including classrooms with two educators at the early grades, helping students build strong foundations from the start.

Strengthening the Teacher Pipeline from Within

As teacher recruitment challenges persist nationwide, the district is taking a flexible and layered approach to staffing.

“Many educators today are not coming through traditional university programs,” says Lisa Smothers, Chief Human Resources Officer. “We are working to attract professionals from other industries who can bring valuable experience into the classroom.”

At the same time, the district is investing heavily in its existing workforce.

“We are building our own pipeline,” Smothers adds. “Our paraprofessionals already understand our students and our schools, and we are supporting them as they pursue teaching credentials.”

Cole notes that partnerships with Baton Rouge Community College, Southern University, and Louisiana State University are also expanding pathways into the profession.

“We are seeing higher education partners respond to the need,” he says. “They are increasing education offerings and placing more student teachers in our schools.”

Leadership Development at the School Level

At Merrydale Elementary School, those pipeline efforts are already producing results.

“I have paraprofessionals who now want to become teachers,” says Casey Wells, Principal of Merrydale Elementary School. “They are receiving on-the-job training and realizing this is the work they want to do.”

Wells explains that having both a teacher and a paraprofessional in every classroom strengthens instruction and helps develop future educators who are already embedded in the school culture.

“It allows us to build leadership from within and create sustainability,” Wells notes.

Technology with Intention and Balance

Technology plays a growing role across the district, but leaders are clear that its use must be developmentally appropriate and purpose-driven.

“A computer does not take the place of a teacher, especially at early ages,” Wells says. “We focus on foundational literacy and numeracy, and technology supports that work rather than replacing it.”

At the secondary level, the district has fully embraced digital tools, including artificial intelligence, while establishing clear guardrails.

“We teach students both the benefits and the dangers of AI,” Cole explains. “The goal is to use it to enhance learning, not to replace thinking.”

An AI task force, tutoring platforms, and technology-supported family engagement tools are part of a broader effort to keep instruction relevant while preparing students for a rapidly evolving world.

Workforce Pathways Built Through Strong Partnerships

Workforce development has become one of the district’s most visible areas of growth. Partnerships with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber have dramatically expanded internship opportunities for students.

“Our students are gaining exposure to industries across the city,” Cole says. “Many of those internships are now paid through partnerships with the mayor’s office.”

Students can pursue pathways in fields such as agriculture, culinary arts, healthcare, construction, welding, automotive technology, and hospitality. The district’s career and technical education center further expands access.

“We want students to graduate with a diploma in one hand and an industry-based certification in the other,” Cole states.

The district is also moving toward earn-to-learn models in high-demand sectors, helping students build skills and earn income while still in school.

Accountability, Data, and Family Engagement as Drivers of Improvement

Alongside innovation and investment, district leaders emphasize the importance of accountability and honest evaluation. Cole stresses that progress depends on understanding what is working, where gaps remain, and how families experience the system day-to-day.

“We have to be willing to acknowledge when we fall short,” Cole explains. “That is the only way we get better.”

Data plays a central role in that process, guiding instructional decisions, program adjustments, and resource allocation across the district. Equally important, Cole notes, is ensuring families feel informed and heard.

“When families understand what we are doing and why we are doing it, trust grows,” he says. “That trust allows us to move forward together.”

Investing in the High School Experience

Looking ahead, the district is investing 40 million dollars to enhance high school environments beyond academics, recognizing that the spaces where students learn, perform, and compete play a critical role in engagement, pride, and belonging.

“We want students to feel proud of their schools,” Cole explains. “Facilities matter because they communicate value.”

Cole notes that while the district has made progress in strengthening academic programs and realigning students into better buildings, many high school facilities have not kept pace with those instructional improvements. The current investment is intended to close that gap and ensure that students experience the same level of quality outside the classroom as they do inside it.

Planned improvements include upgraded athletic facilities, locker rooms, performing arts spaces, workforce labs, and band resources, all designed to strengthen engagement and school identity. Beyond aesthetics, these upgrades are meant to support participation, increase student involvement, and ensure that extracurricular and career-focused programs are equipped to operate at a high level.

Leading with Belief and Accountability

As the district focuses on the next phase of its work, Cole returns to the importance of mindset.

“Learning is often not about a lack of ability,” he reflects. “It is about a lack of belief.”

By modelling excellence, supporting educators, and creating environments where students feel safe and challenged, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System is working to raise expectations while providing the support to meet them.

As the district continues its students-first strategy, its direction is clear: align education with opportunity, invest in people and environments, and lead with the belief that excellence is achievable for every student.

AT A GLANCE

Who: East Baton Rouge Parish School System

What: A large, urban public school district in Louisiana dedicated to providing inclusive, student-centred education while preparing learners for college, careers, and life beyond the classroom.

Where: East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Website: www.ebrschools.org