East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Superintendent Bernard Taylor says he’s been encouraged by recent conversations with state Sen. Bodi White, R-Central—who helped lead the charge for a new public school district in southeast Baton Rouge during the last legislative session—and says there’s a good chance the existing system can be held together.
Taylor says officials are crafting a plan based on public input that would involve creating “families” of schools, in which parents would be able to choose among any schools in the “family.” That would mean schools would be forced to compete for students.
“If you have to compete, you may have to look at what you can do different,” Taylor says.
Public meetings to discuss the proposals—which would have to be approved by BESE—are scheduled to begin next week. Taylor spoke today at a luncheon hosted by Volunteers In Public Schools.
Norman Browning, who leads a group that has called for a breakaway district and attended today’s meeting, cautions that a “family” of schools is not the same thing as a community school district. But at the same time, Browning says, he is happy that dialogue is continuing. Browning and Taylor greeted each other warmly after the meeting was over.
Taylor touched on a number of topics during his address today, including:
• “We create dropouts by complying with the law,” says Taylor, adding there needs to be avenues for students who are way behind their peers to catch up more quickly.
• Charter schools should not exist in an “island of isolation.” Taylor says charter operators should take into account the “continuity of education” of their students, who might attend traditional schools before and after their charter experience.
• Taylor emphasized the school system doesn’t bus children for desegregation purposes, addressing what he says is a pervasive myth.
• The system is looking to replicate successful programs throughout the district, with Taylor specifically mentioning the success Forest Heights Academy has had with poor children.
• State initiatives with vouchers, charters and course choice create uncertainty when schools can’t predict their enrollment, Taylor says.
• He says parents in the potential breakaway area don’t want magnet programs in their back yards, because they could bring more students from outside the area.
• “Everyone wants reform until reform happens,” Taylor says, adding the school system should not be in the business of keeping people employed, and notes that sometimes change means that employees or job descriptions may change.
