People anxious to see details of accord to improve 14 Caddo schools

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - A lot of people have yet to see the three-year plan Louisiana and Caddo education officials announced today to improve 14 of Caddo School District's struggling schools.

And that leaves them to question what is going on.

The plan would bring the possibility of pay raises for some teachers.

And the accord calls for the appointment of community members to help hold both state and Caddo school leaders accountable.

But Chris Henry, who is a parent and executive director of a mentoring program, is still trying to understand the decision to keep open three academically unacceptable schools that at one time had been targeted for closure.

He also hopes the School Board will stick to its word and release the signed agreement to the public before it is put to a vote.

Louisiana Education Superintendent John White and Caddo schools Superintendent Lamar Goree announced the accord during a news conference at 1:30 p.m. in the School Board meeting room at the School District's central office in Shreveport.

The plan Includes a pay increase of up to $15,000 for educators in high-need schools.

The schools covered under the agreement and their most recent performance scores are:

• Atkins Elementary: 24.4
• Booker T. Washington High: 51.6
• Caddo Heights Math/Science Elementary: 40.8
• Caddo Middle Career & Technology School: 53.5
• Fair Park High: 48.6
• J.S. Clark Elementary: 42.6
• Lakeshore Middle: 46.3
• Midway Professional Development: 59.4
• Mooretown Professional Development: 59.0
• Oak Park Elementary/Middle: 44.3
• Queensborough Elementary: 36.5
• Sunset Acres Elementary: 36.5
• Werner Park Elementary: 53.6
• Westwood Elementary: 43.4
• Woodlawn High: 48.1

Goree recently recommended closing Atkins Elementary, Queensborough Elementary and Lakeshore Middle.

All three are classified as academically unacceptable schools, meaning they've had failing scores for at least four consecutive years.

A day after making his recommendation, Goree asked that the School Board pull from consideration his proposal to close Atkins Elementary and Queensborough Elementary.

That left Lakeshore Middle.

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