Education

LSU, Southern, BRCC cancel classes, go remote Monday as storms approach Baton Rouge area

BY CHARLES LUSSIER | Staff writer
15 hrs ago

LSU announced it is closing early Monday at 12:30 p.m due to bad weather en route to the Baton Rouge area. Only courses in the LSU Online & Continuing Education program are proceeding as s…

Some Baton Rouge-area schools and colleges announce early dismissal, closures Monday due to storms

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
16 hrs ago

Some Baton Rouge-area schools and colleges are dismissing early or closing Monday due to the storm forecast with plans to return to normal operations on Tuesday.

Here's a list of New Orleans area school closures, early dismissals due to severe weather

Staff report
Updated Jan 7, 2024

Waves of severe weather forecast to start Monday afternoon have prompted some New Orleans school systems to announce early dismissals and closures.

Jefferson Parish public schools will dismiss class early Monday due to severe weather

BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer
Jan 7, 2024

The Jefferson Parish school system will let students out early Monday due to the expected severe weather and is canceling after-school activities.

Resources

Will more Jefferson Parish schools close this year? Superintendent weighs in.

By MARIE FAZIO | Staff writer
Jan 5, 2024

Nearly a year after announcing major school consolidations as Jefferson Parish grapples with changing demographics, Superintendent James Gray said the district will not consolidate any more sc…

Pre-K enrollment starts this week for New Orleans kids. See if you qualify for free tuition.

By JONI HESS | Staff writer
Jan 4, 2024

Open enrollment for New Orleans’ youngest learners begins Thursday with over 100 school-based pre-K and early childhood education programs available — some of them free for qualified families.

These barriers stop New Orleans kids from getting early childhood education, new report says

By JONI HESS | Staff writer
Jan 3, 2024

Starting this week, a new wave of New Orleans children will have the opportunity to enter the school system for the first time through an early childhood education program. But thousands could…

Harvard president Claudine Gay resigns amid plagiarism claims, backlash from antisemitism testimony

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jan 2, 2024

Harvard University President Claudine Gay has resigned amid plagiarism accusations and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say unequivocally that calls …

UNO's first female president hopes to reverse low enrollment. It's 'the biggest opportunity.'

By MARIE FAZIO | Staff writer
Dec 31, 2023

Fresh into her tenure as University of New Orleans' eight president, Kathy Johnson faces a monumental challenge — after years of dwindling enrollment, the 65-year old public university has a s…

She returned home to uncover the hidden Black history of Louisiana. Her work now grows in influence.

BY FAIMON A. ROBERTS III | Staff writer
Dec 29, 2023

This is the fourth story in The Guardians, a 6-part series highlighting those dedicated to saving and passing down New Orleans' unique heritage.

Pre-K instructional materials can be reviewed

Staff report
Dec 22, 2023

The St. Tammany Parish Public School System is considering adoption of pre-K instructional materials that can be reviewed by the public from Jan. 10-31.

A new Catholic school is coming to New Orleans' Desire area after Gayle Benson donation

By JONI HESS | Staff writer
Dec 20, 2023

A tuition-free Catholic elementary school in the 7th Ward will soon open a second campus thanks to a substantial donation from New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson.

Own a home in New Orleans? Your tax bill will come later next year, but it might be higher.

BY BEN MYERS | Staff writer
Dec 20, 2023

New Orleans homeowners will have an extra month to pay their property tax bills next year after the Orleans Parish School Board, which collects more property taxes in the city than any other p…

Court revives ex-Loyola journalism director's defamation suit against university

BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer
Dec 19, 2023

Sonya Duhé alleges she was defamed as racist in newspaper stories and a university-wide email

St. James schools investigate teacher, allegations of Snapchat video

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Updated Dec 15, 2023

A St. James Parish teacher of the year is no longer employed by the public school system after the mother of an autistic second grader accused her of using a private online forum to post a vid…

Photos: Jon Sumrall, welcome back to Uptown New Orleans: new Tulane football coach welcomed by school officials and fans

BY DAVID GRUNFELD | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Dec 11, 2023

Rod Walker: Jon Sumrall perfect fit for Tulane, says coach who gave him a chance

Students, parents frustrated as charter school forced to close in New Orleans East

By JONI HESS | Staff writer
Dec 11, 2023

By May 2024, a New Orleans high school will have graduated its second — and final — class of high school seniors, a blow shared by the school's small-knit community of students, parents and staff.

Ethics board charges ex-LSU professor with unlawful lobbying, alleges affair with graduate assistant

BY JAMES WILKINS | Staff writer
Dec 9, 2023

A former LSU professor is being accused of having an extramarital affair with his graduate assistant and using them to lobby for the Louisiana Legislature to pass laws criticizing critical rac…

Tulane faces U.S. Education Department investigation after fight at Israel-Hamas protest

By KASEY BUBNASH | Staff writer
Dec 8, 2023

Tulane students, police officer were assaulted, university says

One New Orleans charter school closing, two more to be taken over by other charters

By JONI HESS | Staff writer
Dec 4, 2023

Three New Orleans schools won't have their charters renewed next year, with one set to close and two others slated to be taken over by other charter school organizations.

What's the fate of Louisiana's graduation test score appeals? Here's what to know.

By JAMES FINN | Staff writer
Dec 4, 2023

The head of Louisiana's top school board on Monday staunchly defended her initiative to let high school seniors appeal test scores that keep them from graduating amid a political uproar over t…

Opelousas Junior High students get chance to reengage with learning at hands-on Star Academy

BY ASHLEY WHITE | Staff writer
Dec 4, 2023

Classes at the Star Academy Program in St. Landry Parish operate a little differently than junior high classes.

A cyberattack hit thousands in a Louisiana school district. They're still in the dark.

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL | Staff writer and MARK KEIERLEBER | Contributing writer and ASHLEY WHITE | Staff writer
Dec 4, 2023

It was early August when teacher Heather Vidrine first heard about a cyberattack on her former school district in St. Landry Parish, but she didn’t think much about it — even after her Faceboo…

Charter schools in Louisiana grew overall during pandemic, but some are losing students

BY CHARLES LUSSIER | Staff writer
Updated Dec 4, 2023

Even as student enrollment in Louisiana’s traditional public schools has steadily declined since the pandemic, charter schools have rebounded more quickly, growing overall over the past four years.

Watch Louisiana mom surprise her 2nd grader after long deployment in the Middle East

BY MICHELLE HUNTER | Staff writer
Dec 1, 2023

Though usually shy and soft-spoken, there was no mistaking the first word that 8-year-old Harlem Scott wailed through tears of joy when she turned to see the surprise special guest who stepped…

Tulane is basking in its gridiron success: 'We're a football school now'

By STEPHANIE RIEGEL | Staff writer
Dec 1, 2023

Tulane senior Julie Leichtner found herself joining more than 100 other students, university employees and local football fans at a pep rally Wednesday to cheer on the Green Wave as they prepa…

Should students be able to appeal test scores? It's created a political battle in Louisiana.

By JAMES FINN | Staff writer
Dec 1, 2023

Louisiana education leaders set out months ago to create a policy that would let certain high school seniors appeal test scores when those scores threaten their ability to graduate.

Student death at Southeastern Louisiana University results in campus alert, building closure

BY BOB WARREN | Staff writer
Nov 30, 2023

The death of a student in a building at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond prompted an emergency alert and led to the closure of the building.