Board Meeting Comments

This item is premature. Just because money could be borrowed doesn't mean it should.

I wish the board would vote to hire Data Center, as they scored the highest on the scorecard this time from both applicant companies as well as in 2021, when the board voted to make a substitute motion to go with a different company that scored below them. We know how that played out and the controversy that it caused. Let's not make the same mistake twice please. But more importantly, the board should not only make a decision on which company to hire, but should absolutely sign the contract to start these services as soon as possible. Do NOT use the St George school district election as an excuse to avoid having these new maps ready to go, pending the outcome in the April election, rather than waiting to just start the process after April. Otherwise there is only 2.5 months before qualifying for the 2026 EBRPSS board elections to do all of redistricting. Or worse, it's put off and yet another election will happen with 2010 census data being reflected, rather than 2020.

It is too bad the back-up documents for this item do not include those from Census Channel. The results from the Scoring Sheet RFQ 05-24 seem negligible..one point or two points in some cases. Dear School Board--- you are not required to pick Data Center. But I do implore you to *do something* and not settle on Map 22. Do not even consider settling on Map 22 with "minor changes." That would be a disservice to the community. Litigation filed in 2022 temporarily halted the implementation of Plan 22, long enough to force the elections that fall to be conducted based on a nine-member map approved in 2014. Six new board members took office in January 2023, and *none* participated in the creation of Plan 22. (Recall...when we had 19 maps published in the BR Advocate Newspaper.) The community wants an 11 member map! In March 2022, more than 100 people made public comments about redistricting. The comments are still here for you to read: https://comment.ebrschools.org/list/?m=2022061

My children attend an EBR public school; our home is in the current St George incorporation. I am giving my endorsement and encouragement that the school board proceed with hiring Data Center, LLC for reappointment and redistricting services. The current maps are based on census data that was obtained 15 years ago. A newborn child who was included in that census is now 15 years old and mostly started the first day of their **sophomore year in HIGH school** today. All students in EBRSS who are currently in elementary school and the majority (if not all) of the students in middle school were not alive during that census. Their demographics and their families are not being accurately reflected or appropriately served by the 2014 maps. We are overdue for an re-evaluation. It's time to stop the feet-dragging, start walking, and serve the students who actively participate in this district.

I am writing to ask that you move forward favorably with the recommended consultant so that an updated map can be made and voted on as soon as an accurate, fair, and up-to-date map can be presented. It is imperative that those considering running for school board in the next cycle know what district they are in. I hope that all of you are unwilling to continue to kick this can down the road and risk using either a map that is based on 2010 census data or one that risks reopening a federal lawsuit.

I applaud the board for following through with your vote on Nov 16, 2023 to provide for the development of a Board reapportionment and redistricting plan following the dismissal of the state lawsuit related to Plan 22. Our district, voters, and potential candidates deserve a current map based on most recent census data for our elections next year, and deserve this as soon as possible. I support this item and encourage the board to vote to move this important process through. There are no reasons to delay, only excuses. Please support democracy - this is not a Republican or Democrat issue, it is about a current map, based on the most up to date data, in a timely manner.

I support the board moving forward with hiring a demographer to insure a legal map in a timely manner prior to the 2026 elections.

Redistricting is fundamental to preserving democracy in our local institutions. As the mother of a young child who will be entering public school under these newly redrawn districts, I urge you to move forward with hiring a demographer and getting this right.

My daughter attends an EBR public school; our home is in the current St George incorporation. For reappointment, please consider the Data Center. We have been here before where the community came out in support for the Data Center and we are once again asking for the board to please support us, and choose the Data Center. Thank you!!!!

I am writing to express serious concerns about how public charter schools in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System are serving students with disabilities. Charter schools are promoted as “schools of choice,” but for many families, that choice is not truly available. Children with disabilities are often discouraged from enrolling, or once enrolled, do not receive the services they are legally entitled to under federal law. When special education services are inconsistent—or absent—students fall behind, families are forced to fight for basic supports, and equity is lost. One critical issue is the lack of certified teachers in charter schools. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are not required to hire certified instructional staff. This is especially alarming for students with IEPs, who depend on trained educators for legally mandated services. I respectfully ask that the Board require full transparency about teacher credentials at each charter campus. I am also concerned about the use of restraint and seclusion. These practices disproportionately affect students with disabilities, and there is no clear public reporting or system-wide accountability. Parents must be notified promptly, and incidents should be tracked at the district level with regular oversight. Therefore, I respectfully urge the Board to: Conduct annual audits of IEP implementation at all charter schools; Require charter schools to publish the certification status of all instructional staff; Enforce mandatory reporting and notification procedures for restraint and seclusion incidents; Ensure equitable enrollment and access to services for students with disabilities across all public schools. Charter schools are public schools and should be held to public standards. Choice without access is not real choice. Every child in East Baton Rouge deserves a school that is prepared, inclusive, and accountable. Thank you for your time and service to our students.