Baton Rouge Alliance for Students Celebrates 5th Anniversary by Highlighting System-Level Reforms in East Baton Rouge Public Schools

Five years ago, the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students challenged the community to start demanding accountability from the city’s public schools. Founded in 2021 on the belief that “An excellent education is every child’s birthright,” the Alliance is committed to advancing student-centered decision-making grounded in data, accountability, and student outcomes.

The organization, determined to change the conversations around public education, partners with communities to improve policy and access for every student in the district. As a result, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS) has implemented some of the most impactful and wide-reaching improvements in recent history, leading to a steady decline in ‘D’ and ‘F’ schools. The Alliance believes that student-centered strategies will continue to improve how the district governs, spends, and measures success.

Over the last 5 years, the Alliance has celebrated the following wins for students in EBR:

● A 12,000-student drop in enrollment in D- and F-rated public schools
● Implementation of a bold facilities realignment plan that moved 70% of affected students into higher-performing schools, while reinvesting nearly $6 million annually into promising models serving students in the lowest-performing schools;
● The development of a comprehensive School Facilities Master Plan, bringing long-overdue strategic planning to district infrastructure;
● Adoption of a stronger, more competitive Charter School Policy that rewards high-performing schools, protects autonomy, and aligns the district with state law;
● Implementation of the most transparent and equitable budgeting process in at least two decades;
● Full public posting of district contracts, dramatically increasing spending transparency;
● Replacement of two extremely low-performing charter schools with high-performing operators;
● Performance-based bonus pay tied directly to significantly improving outcomes for students in struggling schools;
● Launch of a research-backed school start time pilot designed to support both academic achievement and student mental health;
● Unanimous selection of a Superintendent with deep local roots and a clear urgency for action;
● The most student-centered, metrics-driven Superintendent contract in district history;
● Parent survey data exposing barriers in the magnet enrollment process—driving ongoing work to simplify access;
● Positive gains in the percentage of students performing on grade level;

“Real progress requires the courage to make hard decisions,” said Adonica Pelichet Duggan, Founding CEO of the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students. “Over the last five years, our community has demonstrated that it is willing to prioritize students over politics. These efforts lay the foundation for sustained academic growth, stronger schools, and greater public trust.”

“Systemic failure does not reverse itself,” Pelichet Duggan added. “It requires strong leadership, transparency, and the willingness to put students first. Over the last five years, this community has proven it is ready to do exactly that.”

As the Alliance enters its next chapter, its focus remains clear: ensuring these historic gains translate into accelerated academic achievement for every child in East Baton Rouge Parish.

For more information, visit https://brallianceaction.org.