School chiefs point to improvement

Superintendents of three area public school districts Friday cited higher achievement scores, more technology in the classroom and school- and student-centered administrations as proof that their school systems are improving.

The superintendents, as well as administrators of the area's community and technical colleges, reported on the state of education in the River Parishes at a program sponsored by the River Region Chamber of Commerce in LaPlace.

Overall, the districts' leaders said they were moving in a positive direction.

A year ago, St. John the Baptist Parish school officials were working for support for a $46 million bond issue, St. John schools Superintendent Courtney Millet said. With that request, the district created a plan for its construction program and set goals for academic achievement.

Millet said the construction projects are on target, and some have been moved up.

"We have four architectural teams," that are helping to carry out the program with a professionalism that was not seen in the past, she said.

Millet said the district also met a goal for having all schools improve their state performance scores two or three points a year.

In 2009, schools improved their baseline scores -- the scores the state uses to rank school and district performance -- by from 2-14 points.

The district is following the plans "as we said we would," she said.

St. Charles Superintendent Rodney Lafon said the district is seeking re-accreditation in January. It will be the first school district in the state to seek re-accreditation, he said.

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