School Realignment
In Baton Rouge, like make places across the country, the school board will be deciding how to best use funds and building spaces to make sure every child get a great education. The East Baton Rouge School Board is developing future facilities use plans.
We want to make sure you stay informed and engaged in this process.
Baton Rouge’s school system once accommodating over 70,000 students, now serves just over 34,000 in the same facilities, reflecting a steady enrollment decline since the early 2000s, intensified by a 20% drop post-pandemic.
Faced with decades of disinvestment and population changes, EBR has been left with a school facilities portfolio that is significantly larger than needed to serve the number of students currently enrolled. District leadership must realign facilities assets in a way that results in better serving students by providing quality educators, abundant social support, robust arts, sports, and other enrichment opportunities, reliable transportation, and comfortable and modern learning spaces. EBR can be a place where every student has access to the resources and supports necessary to prepare them for a life of opportunity. At the Alliance, our deeply held belief is that to ensure this process yields positive outcomes for students and the city, it must be conducted with intentional engagement of these key stakeholder groups.
- The board must develop an objective, clear, and accessible rubric by which school buildings will be analyzed for potential closure or consolidation.
- The aim of the realignment process must not only be about physical plant; it must be anchored in a goal of increasing enrollment in higher-performing schools and directing more resources to those schools to drive further performance gains.
- The school board must determine a minimum concentration of students needed to sustain resource-rich educational environments.
- Parents and educators are best positioned to advise the school board as to the menu of programs and services that make up a resource-rich educational environment.
- Empty district facilities cannot sit empty, becoming a magnet for criminal activity and a blight upon neighborhoods. The board should set a deadline for redevelopment of each empty building, and must have a community-driven plan for the future of every school building.
- Neighborhoods must have a meaningful voice in determining the next use of any empty school buildings, to ensure that they remain community assets. The school board must sincerely ask for their input.
- The board must consider the student experience and make an effort to balance the need to urgently provide better-resourced schools with maintaining stability in students’ educational journeys.
- At all times during the process, the board and district staff must intentionally choose transparency and public review.
EBR TIMELINE
Plan development and implementation timeline
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
March 12th | 6PM
@ Magnolia Woods Elementary School
March 27th | 6PM
@ Capitol Elementary School
April 10th | 6PM
@ Broadmoor Elementary School
March 2025
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS
March 2025
REVIEW COMMUNITY MEETING INPUT
April 2025
ESTABLISH PLAN WITH BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS
May 2025
IMPLEMENTATION OF EBR SCHOOL REALIGNMENT PLAN
RESOURCES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is the district considering school realignment?
The district currently has around 20,000 more seats than students, leading to under-enrolled schools, inefficient resource allocation, and inequitable access to academic opportunities. Realignment ensures that all students have access to high-quality learning environments.
What factors are being considered in school realignment decisions?
The district is evaluating schools based on four key factors: building condition, enrollment and capacity, school performance, and operational costs. These criteria help determine how best to allocate resources and improve educational outcomes.
Will families and the community have a say in this process?
Yes! The district is committed to gathering feedback through community meetings, surveys, and stakeholder discussions before making any realignment decisions. We encourage all families, staff, and community members to participate.
What will happen to students in their school if closed or consolidated?
If a school is closed or merged, students will be reassigned to schools with stronger academic programs, better facilities, and increased resources. The district will work closely with families and staff to ensure a smooth transition.
How will school realignment benefit students?
By optimizing school resources, realignment will allow the district to provide more academic programs, extracurricular activities, upgraded facilities, and enhanced student support services, ensuring that every child receives a high-quality education.