Elliot Wade

Lafayette

Community Reporter at The Current Media

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Articles

LPSS digs back into budget cuts

Jan 8, 2025 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade |Christiaan Mader

After a seismic year, challenges remain for Lafayette public schools. Major shifts set in motion in 2024 take effect this fall, and the school board kicks off 2025 with big decisions ahead of it and a budget gap still looming. Case in point: The Lafayette Parish School System plans to cut immersion programming for pre-K students for the upcoming school year, per Superintendent Francis Touchet. Coming on the heels of a rocky year, the decision has again stoked anger and mistrust among parents.
LPSS Superintendent Francis Touchet says possibility of some teacher layoffs to help balance budget

Dec 3, 2024 | kadn.com | Elliot Wade

LAFAYETTE, La. (The Current) — After falling short of closing a $38 million budget gap, officials with Lafayette Parish School System are now looking for more ways to cut costs. Among them, laying off personnel. The school board voted last month to close several schools and reorganize the district but stopped short of all the cost saving recommendations offered by its consultants.
In surprise move, board saves Duson Elementary, Comeaux High

Nov 21, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

In what came as a surprise to many who thought the final decision on Lafayette’s school restructuring plan was baked in, the Lafayette Parish community was able to move school board members to save both Comeaux High School and Duson Elementary from closure.
Final Lafayette school consolidation plan could save $8M a year

Nov 14, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

Civic Solutions Group estimates its final recommendations to remake the Lafayette Parish School System could save an estimated $8 million a year. The public can now get a look at final proposed closures, new schools and consolidations that will remake the LPSS. Seven of the 14 proposed changes have been revised; the others remain unchanged. The board will vote on the final version Nov. 20.
What local issues are on your mind, post-election?

Nov 7, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

The run-up to Election 2024 felt like an eternity. Now that it’s (mostly) behind us, it’s a good time to turn our attention to local matters because, well, local matters. Over the last few months, we’ve covered some local topics with national relevance: housing, population shifts and more. All politics is local, after all. Local is what we’re all about at The Current. You can get a lot done where you live. So, unplug from the national stage for a second.
Catch Up: What’s happening with Lafayette schools?

Oct 24, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

The gist: A plan to overhaul Lafayette public schools has triggered significant pushback from community members who don’t want their schools closed. Lafayette has been here before —and with recent national trends, the problem isn’t going away anytime soon. Big picture: LPSS needs to fix a $38.2 million budget shortfall caused in large part due to under enrollment. Lafayette is experiencing a national downtrend in public school attendance.
What’s next for Lafayette Public School System?

Oct 22, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

Note: School update graphic is The Current’s summary of CSG’s information, which is available on LPSS’s website. TranscriptLafayette Parish School System is about to get a complete overhaul to fix a $38.2 million budget shortfall and we could see nine schools closed, three major consolidations and the construction of two new schools. School officials have been hinting at big changes for a while.
Duson Residents Push Back on Proposed LPSS Plan

Oct 16, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

With love for one of the last “true neighborhood schools” in the parish in mind, the Duson Elementary community showed up to Tuesday’s Town Council meeting to voice concern over the school’s possible closure under a proposed district plan. With the school board’s $38.2 million budget “challenge,” officials are in a tough spot to sustain parish-wide operations.
Closures, consolidations in plan for Lafayette schools

Oct 10, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

Under a proposed strategic plan to address declining enrollment and hits to tax revenue, the Lafayette Parish School System could see nine schools closed, three major consolidations of several schools and the construction of two new schools. The massive overhaul was presented this week by Civic Solutions Group, a consulting firm hired by the school system in May and led by former Louisiana Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek.
New Community Center Proposed for Old Truman School

Oct 4, 2024 | thecurrentla.com | Elliot Wade

With kids on campus at the new Truman Early Childhood Education Center, the school board is closing in on plans for the old Truman building’s next life. The school system is finalizing an agreement to lease the facility, located at 200 Clara St., to a local nonprofit to convert it into a community center.