Tangipahoa OKs school oversight deal
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AMITE — The Tangipahoa Parish School Board has hired state-mandated third-party providers to upgrade its alternative schools that have run afoul of Louisiana accountability standards, a school spokeswoman said.
The contractors are expected to cost $1.19 million next year, but Superintendent Mark Kolwe said he believes expected state funding should cover the cost, the spokeswoman said.
The board approved the provider contracts Tuesday after the state’s top education panel in February gave the board 60 days to find the providers or have the schools face state takeover July 1.
Northwood High near Amite and Crystal Academy in Hammond have been deemed academically unacceptable for four years or more, kicking in tighter state oversight.
School system spokeswoman Cindy Benitez said the board approved two one-year contracts:
The board approved contracts pending school attorneys’ review, Benitez said.
Along with the contracts, the board approved draft school improvement plans that must be completed June 9, she
said.
Under Cornell Abraxas’ contract, students who go to Crystal Academy would be in six self-contained classrooms at the schools they would attend if they were not placed at the alternative school, Benitez said.
Those schools are Hammond Eastside and Westside Upper and Hammond Junior High, Benitez said.
She did not know what the future of Crystal Academy building would be, but said the Hammond alternative school program no longer will be housed there.
The program is backed with a 3-mill, 10-year Hammond-area property tax, but the system’s bond attorney has said the changes are legal because the tax was set up to support the program.
The contractors are expected to cost $1.19 million next year, but Superintendent Mark Kolwe said he believes expected state funding should cover the cost, the spokeswoman said.
The board approved the provider contracts Tuesday after the state’s top education panel in February gave the board 60 days to find the providers or have the schools face state takeover July 1.
Northwood High near Amite and Crystal Academy in Hammond have been deemed academically unacceptable for four years or more, kicking in tighter state oversight.
School system spokeswoman Cindy Benitez said the board approved two one-year contracts:
- One for $945,000 with Cornell Abraxas Group Inc. to handle students who attend Crystal Academy for Hammond-area middle and junior high students.
- A second for $245,000 with Arbor E&T LLC to oversee Northwood High, a boot camp-style school off U.S. 51 north of Amite.
The board approved contracts pending school attorneys’ review, Benitez said.
Along with the contracts, the board approved draft school improvement plans that must be completed June 9, she
said.
Under Cornell Abraxas’ contract, students who go to Crystal Academy would be in six self-contained classrooms at the schools they would attend if they were not placed at the alternative school, Benitez said.
Those schools are Hammond Eastside and Westside Upper and Hammond Junior High, Benitez said.
She did not know what the future of Crystal Academy building would be, but said the Hammond alternative school program no longer will be housed there.
The program is backed with a 3-mill, 10-year Hammond-area property tax, but the system’s bond attorney has said the changes are legal because the tax was set up to support the program.
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