LAFAYETTE PARISH — It was a packed house at Wednesday's Lafayette Parish School System meeting.
After several items on the agenda were approved, the community will see many changes made at different schools across Lafayette Parish. The Accelerated Campus Excellence model is a program that will be implemented at J.W. Faulk and Dr. Raphael A. Baranco Elementary Schools. The Pugh Family Foundation's $4.1 million donation to this program was approved.
"This is very bold and this is very transformable and this is something in which no one else in Louisiana is doing as far as trying to turn around a school," said Francis Touchet, Lafayette Parish Superintendent.
Touchet believes this program will help improve education for many students. Both elementary schools are rated as 'D' schools. The ACE model has shown that campuses improve two letter grades in two years on average. "We have done what we can, and I can tell you what we have seen. We go into a school, and we go into a classroom that is certified. We go into another classroom in another school, and the poor education that the kids are getting in these classrooms would make every one of you ill to your stomachs," said Touchet. Touchet commended what teachers are doing but said change is needed.
There are five pillars of the ACE model, and one requires teachers to reapply for their jobs to work on an ACE campus. "We need to make sure that we have the talent to really work with our students that need help. As a superintendent I don't want to wait one more year to see if something can work, said Touchet. This is a major concern for many teachers who spoke out at the meeting like J.W. Faulk 2nd grade teacher, Caleb Cormier, "I believe in the past 12 years that's being spoken about where J.W. Faulk was supposed to be a failing school, under Ms. Barbay is the only time we moved up to being a 'D' school."
The board also approved the elimination of J.W. Faulk and Dr. Raphael A. Baranco Elementary schools' principal job descriptions and will replace them with two elementary principal positions.
These changes will go into effect on June 24, 2024.
