In just one year, Baton Rouge charter schools have added 2,476 high-quality seats—a 19% increase that is transforming educational opportunities across our city. Behind these numbers are real children whose futures are being reimagined through excellence in education.

At New Schools for Baton Rouge (NSBR), we're not just talking about educational equity—we're building it, school by school, classroom by classroom. By strategically investing in charter school growth, visionary school leadership, and exceptional teaching talent, we're building an ecosystem where excellence becomes the standard for all Baton Rouge students.

1. Growing High-Quality Charter School Options
The results speak volumes: Madison Preparatory Academy and GEO Next Generation High School were the top two performing open-enrollment high schools in Baton Rouge. BASIS Materra was the only “A” rated open-enrollment school in Baton Rouge, and BASIS Mid City improved its performance grade from a “D” to a “B” and had the highest year-over-year academic gains in the state on the LEAP test. In its first year, Baton Rouge Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy (BROD) ranked among the top 1% in Louisiana for academic growth and earned a “B” performance grade.

How are we achieving this transformation? Through our dual approach:

• Supporting and guiding the growth and expansion of local charter operators with a proven track record of success.
• Identifying and recruiting regional and national high-quality charter operators to invest in and launch new schools in Baton Rouge.

Today, 53% of Baton Rouge charter students attend high-quality schools—and we're just getting started.

2. Supporting Academic Growth and Developing Transformational School Leaders
Great schools don't happen by accident—they're built by visionary leaders who create cultures of excellence. Our comprehensive leadership development approach focuses on:

• Providing targeted funding support and guidance for selected schools to develop and implement academic action plans to accelerate student achievement and growth.
• Facilitating a content-based Professional Learning Community (PLC) for instructional leaders.
• Implementing a Community of Practice (CoP) for school leaders led by an expert in charter school leadership development.

3. Building a Strong Teacher Talent Pipeline
At the heart of every transformational school are exceptional teachers who inspire, challenge, and believe in their students. Through our Teach225 initiative, we're addressing Baton Rouge's critical need for teaching talent:

• Working with our existing talent pipeline partners to identify, recruit, and place talented teachers in charter school classrooms.
• Connecting local and regional colleges and universities to charter schools through existing or new partnership residency programs.

The Roadmap to Success for Baton Rouge Students
When these three strategic pillars work in harmony, the impact is exponential:

• More High-Quality Schools = Students in every neighborhood gain access to innovative, high-performing, tuition-free charter schools.
• Exceptional School Leadership and Instruction = School cultures thrive, fostering environments where both teachers and students can reach their highest potential.
• Talented, Supported Teachers = Students experience engaging, challenging instruction that prepares them for the future.

Together, these elements create a self-reinforcing cycle of educational excellence that's already transforming outcomes for Baton Rouge families.

The future of Baton Rouge depends on the quality of education we provide today's students. Together, we're building a city where educational excellence isn't determined by zip code, but is the standard that every child deserves and can achieve.

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