BRAC releases analysis of a dozen regional school districts

There are 41 schools in the Capital Region, including 25 in East Baton Rouge Parish, that are at risk of being taken over by the state during the next four to six years if improvements are not made. That’s “the most distressing” finding by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber in a performance analysis it released today of 12 school districts in the Baton Rouge area. The report details the outcomes for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years, how levels of student achievement in the districts compare to performance in peer districts across the state, each district’s current standing within Louisiana’s new letter-grade rating system, and many other critical metrics. “This information is designed to be a tool for businesses, families, and decision makers to have a thorough understanding of the high-level performance of the Baton Rouge area’s school districts, based on state accountability data,” says BRAC President/CEO Adam Knapp. “While we have some very strong districts—and many that made good annual strides forward—most are not making enough gains each year to reach the state’s 2014 targets. For the East Baton Rouge Parish School System and their superintendent search, this data shows the urgency needed for a leader capable of accelerating the rates of improvement in district scores.” The region’s districts as a whole have an average district performance score of 93.5, which is slightly below the state average of 94.2. Both of these scores garner a “C” grade in the state’s new grading system. See the complete 15-page report here.