How We’re Mobilizing Support to Help Students Access Better Schools

When a school fails to provide an excellent education, the strength of an educational system lies not just in maintaining high standards but also in how the community comes together to support affected students, families, and educators. In Baton Rouge, we have built a responsive system where organizations and schools unite to ensure every transition becomes an opportunity for students to access better educational options and brighter futures.

This commitment to supporting families through transitions while maintaining high standards is essential to creating lasting positive change. Research consistently shows that students make significant academic gains when they move from lower-performing to higher-performing schools. Studies have found that students who transfer to higher-performing schools can gain multiple months of learning each year compared to similar students who remain in underperforming schools.

Following IDEA Public Schools' decision to relinquish its charters for IDEA Innovation and IDEA Bridge to the EBR School Board, we see this support system in action. While this transition affects many families in our community, it demonstrates how partners across Baton Rouge mobilize to ensure every student lands in a stronger academic environment.

At New Schools for Baton Rouge, our mission is to ensure every Baton Rouge student can access a high-quality education. To that end, NSBR has been working with IDEA leadership and partners to develop a comprehensive transition plan that ensures impacted students, families, and educators have high-quality options for the 2025-2026 school year.

How We’re Supporting Students and Families

NSBR has partnered with Civic Solutions Group (CSG) to provide one-on-one support for IDEA’s families and students. CSG is a national organization with ties in Louisiana specializing in supporting education leaders and institutions facing complex challenges. The group has direct experience working with schools, families, and students in a school closure situation.

CSG support for IDEA families and students includes:

• Reaching out to all families individually to understand their students' needs and situations and providing personalized guidance in identifying and applying to the school of their choice.
• Organizing recruitment events where families and students can meet with local, high-quality school operators and learn about the programs and services they provide.
• Meeting with local, high-quality school operators to better understand their needs, programs, and services.
• Helping families navigate and monitor the application process.
• Ensuring all students are placed in a high-quality program for the 2025-2026 school year.        

How We’re Supporting IDEA Faculty and Staff

Through its Teach225 initiative, NSBR provides comprehensive support and resources to IDEA faculty and staff during this transition.

Teach225 support for IDEA faculty and staff includes:

• Providing professional development and career resources through the Teach225 website.
• Offering one-on-one support and guidance from NSBR's Senior Achievement Manager, Jasmine Simmons.
• Opening access to faculty and staff to upload their resumes on Teach225’s career portal.
• Working with local, high-quality school operators to update and post all 2025-2026 school year position openings on Teach225’s job board.
• Connecting potential applicants with hiring officials to help facilitate the hiring process.

While transitions like these can create temporary uncertainty, they ultimately connect students with stronger educational opportunities. By combining resources, improving access to better facilities, and aligning students with higher-quality educational programs, we strengthen the foundation for academic success, personal growth, and future opportunities.

Our goal at New Schools for Baton Rouge is to provide the support and resources needed to make this transition for IDEA families, students, and faculty as smooth and effective as possible. When we work together to ensure every child has access to an excellent education, we transform the educational landscape of Baton Rouge and provide a brighter future for our students.

Dr. Noemi Donoso

CEO, NSBR