Unlocking Easy Enrollment in Baton Rouge

A Broken System

When Jamila Freightman moved from Atlanta to Baton Rouge, she knew the type of education she wanted for her son, Nandi. “I knew I wanted to send him to public school,” she said. “In Atlanta, that’s what most people do. I was surprised to learn that in Baton Rouge, a lot of families choose private school and don’t even consider the public schools for their kids. That wasn’t financially feasible for me.”

We agree with Jamila. It’s time for Baton Rouge to move toward an enrollment system that works for every family, and every student.

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The Current School Enrollment Process

Nine of the top ten performing schools in Baton Rouge are selective admissions schools, part of the city’s network of high-performing magnet schools. Each year, there’s fierce competition for a limited number of seats.
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For families to win a ticket or a seat to a magnet school parents and guardians often experience a very complex enrollment process. Many families aren't even aware an alternative system exists.

The magnet school enrollment process is complex and confusing, requiring parents to go through a five-step process and submit the application within a short timeframe, creating a significant burden for working parents.

2024-2025 School Application Dates

Priority Pool - September 25, 2023 - December 1, 2023
Winter Pool - December 2, 2023 - February 29, 2024
Spring Pool - March 1, 2024 - April 30, 2024
Extended Pool - May 1, 2024 - June 30, 2024

Magnet school enrollment starts 10 months in advance of the new school year.

49% of students in magnet schools are economically disadvantaged compared to 82% of students in the rest of the district.

Many schools require parents to submit documentation in person during school hours. This is difficult for working parents.

The Benefits of a Unified System

1. Simplicity to families

2. Equal access to the district's best schools

3. More accurate enrollment counts for district and schools leaders

4. Clear, actionable data on which schools are most popular and which needs improvement and enrollment strategies

5. Gives districts the ability to plan programming and facilities expansions based on existing family deamands

How Other Districts Have Simplified Enrollment

A unified enrollment system, which provides families with a one-stop-shop to access all their options, is a practical and effective solution to simplify the enrollment process and make quality education accessible to all.

Unified enrollment works for large, medium, and small districts that resemble EBR’s student and school composition.
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These enrollment systems have delivered on their promise of fair access to high-performing schools:‍

Indianapolis, IN

In Indianapolis, by Year 4 of the new enrollment system, 83% of students were matched to their top school choice and 89% were matched to one of their top three choices. 86% of families said the new enrollment system was “easy” or “very easy.”

Washington, D.C.

In Washington D.C., the new system has led to “a big investment in music, physical education, and foreign languages. Families that were leaving DCPS because they wanted their kids to learn a language can now go to a neighborhood school.”

Camden, NJ

In Camden, 97% of parents agreed that it was easy to submit the unified application, and 94% agreed that the process treated everyone the same. 86% of parents said they were satisfied with their child’s matched school, and 72% said their child was matched with their top choice.

The mysterious enrollment process in br

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