Wait list exceeds pilot program capacity by more than 50 percent
BATON ROUGE, La.— The Louisiana Department of Education today announced that the wait list for the first year of the Course Choice program has now grown to over 1,000 students. In addition to this wait list, more than 2,000 families and counselors have registered students for courses through the 2013-2014 school year pilot program.
Initiated by the Legislature in 2012, Course Choice provides Louisiana students access to hundreds of in-person and online academic and career education courses often not available in traditional schools. After a court ruling required a change in its funding mechanism, Course Choice became a pilot initiative funded through Department of Education funds.
“Student demand for these courses has a reached a point where it cannot be ignored,” said State Superintendent John White. “We are going to have to make some sacrifices to make sure these students receive courses they need to be prepared for college or career.”
Parishes across the state have seen demand for the program with student enrollment requests ranging from ACT preparation and welding courses to more traditional Algebra I and World History offerings. Several parishes such as Caddo, Claiborne, Jackson, and Washington have a large number of students on the waitlist hoping to enroll in programs with providers like the Louisiana Schools for Math Science and the Arts and Bossier Parish Schools. Thus far, the most popular courses are Spanish 1 and Spanish 2, Math Intervention, Biology, Algebra 1, and Civics.
Families on the waitlist will receive notification as space or additional funding becomes available. Enrollment will continue until the end of the Add/Drop period at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, at which time families will receive final notification regarding their student’s enrollment status.
Course Choice is an aspect of Louisiana Believes, the state’s plan to ensure all students are on track for college or a career, by empowering those closest to them to make decisions on their behalf. Course Choice empowers students to proactively tailor their education to their academic needs while working directly with families and educators to make sure these courses are academically appropriate for students.
For more information on the Course Choice program click here or visit www.louisianacoursechoice.net/.
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