WBR Superintendent Outlines Priorities

By ROY PITCHFORD

PORT ALLEN – The superintendent of West Baton Rouge Parish public schools said Wednesday his top priority for the coming school year will be to get more students to score in the “advanced” category of state high-stakes testing.

Superintendent David Corona thanked School Board members for their support of new initiatives to create a motion picture production curriculum, a pre-General Educational Development certificate program, and an alternative education program.

But Corona said his No. 1 priority for the 2007-08 school year would be to focus on moving more students into the “advanced” category on statewide tests.

The superintendent said the parish falls in the upper half of overall rankings among state school districts, and has improved in recent years.

But he said that while studying statewide statistical data, he realized West Baton Rouge will not be recognized as an improving school district – and move higher in the state rankings – until more of its students can achieve scores that get “advanced” status.

Corona said that in 30 grade-and-subject statistical categories, parish students had a higher percentage of advanced-scoring students than the statewide average in only one category.

“We’re not getting kids in the advanced category because we’re not concentrating on them,” Corona said. “This must happen.”

Board members approved the three new academic programs as part of a consent agenda without discussion or dissent.

The motion picture production curriculum will be developed in consultation with people in the movie professions. Parish planners will talk to personnel at area technical and community colleges so students can get dual credit.

The plan recognizes that Studio City and Filmport, a $500 million studio and production facility will be built in the parish in the next 18 months, and will need thousands of workers.

The pre-GED program, Corona said, recognizes that more than 50 students who will be ninth-graders at Port Allen and Brusly high schools in August have already reached their 16th birthday.

He said they will likely become dropouts without a program designed to meet their needs.

The alternative educational program is designed for students who have been expelled. The school system has been getting waivers from having such a program on the grounds it could not afford such a program.

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