Moving Forward
Study beginning of St. Landry public school plan
“The overarching goal in every area is to make sure that the system as a whole and each school can give every student the best education possible,” said St. Landry economic development director Bill Rodier.
As students head back to the classroom for the 2018-19 school year, experts are taking a comprehensive look at the St. Landry school system as an important first step in finding ways to give them everything they need.
Several organizations that collaborate in St. Landry economic development are paying three-fourths of the cost of studies by Gibson Consultants, an Austin-based firm that specializes in evaluating school systems. The consultants are focusing on the cost effectiveness of current school policies and development of a strategic plan for the future.
Several years ago, St. Landry education, economic, and government agencies set a goal of creating a parish in which “students at every level and of every capacity have the fullest access to the best possible academic, career, and life education.”
Additionally, St. Landry school superintendent Patrick Jenkins has said one of his highest goals will be developing relationships within the community and working with principals and teachers to create an improvement plan.
Gibson’s preliminary assessments look at academics, extracurricular activities, finance and operations, human resources, technology, and parental and community involvement.
The documents offer mission statements in each area and enumerate specific goals and objectives within each sphere. The several dozen goals include:
- Improving the overall academic performance of the system and achieving an 85 percent graduation rate by the 2023-24 school year.
- Reduction of out-of-school suspensions to below the national average.
- Regular evaluation of spending systemwide and finding the means for long-term financial stability.
- Making sure that school policies and the system budget are clear, understandable, and readily available to everyone.
- Making the system more competitive in hiring and keeping good teachers and staff.
- Greater involvement by parents, businesses, and community organizations in St. Landry education.
“The overarching goal in every area is to make sure that the system as a whole and each school can give every student the best education possible,” said St. Landry economic development director Bill Rodier.
“Economic development has set this as a priority because access to a quality education is necessary to provide our citizens the quality of life they deserve, our businesses the smart and qualified workers needed in this technological age, and the parish and our communities with tomorrow’s leaders,” he said.
Rodier said that he and others welcome the study and particularly have noted that the it has placed significant emphasis on making school policies and finances easily accessible to the citizenry and on creating greater opportunities for the parish as a whole to become involved in the education of our young people.
“Teachers and administrators are the most visible part of our school system, but every one of us has some role to play,” he said. “With the support of government and business leaders, as well as parents and the citizenry as a whole, good things are bound to happen for our children and for the standard of life in St. Landry Parish.”
Three things to know about this story:
- Experts are taking a comprehensive look at the St. Landry school system.
- Several organizations that collaborate in St. Landry economic development are paying three-fourths of the cost of studies by Gibson Consultants.
- Gibson’s preliminary assessments look at academics, extracurricular activities, finance and operations, human resources, technology, and parental and community involvement.
Opelousas, LA 70571