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Calcasieu Parish Public Schools, Louisiana
| Calcasieu Parish Public Schools |
|---|
 |
| Lake Charles, Louisiana |
| District details |
| Superintendent: Jason VanMetre |
| # of school board members: 15 |
| Website: Link |
Calcasieu Parish Public Schools is a school district in Louisiana.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
 |
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Jason VanMetre is the superintendent of Calcasieu Parish Public Schools. He was elected in July 2024.[1]
Past superintendents=
- Shannon LaFargue was the superintendent of Calcasieu Parish Public Schools from 2022 to 2024.[2] His previous experience includes multiple roles at the Calcasieu Parish Public school district, including serving on the CPSD school board and, most recently, serving as Chief Academic Officer for the district.[3]
- Karl Bruchhaus was the superintendent of Calcasieu Parish Public Schools from June 2014 until his retirement on June 30, 2022.[4][5] Bruchhaus' previous career experience includes working as the chief financial officer for the Calcasieu Parish School Board, coordinator of accounting for the DeSoto Parish School Board, and director of finance for the Jefferson Davis Parish School Board.[6]
School board
Calcasieu Parish Public Schools consists of 15 members elected to four-year terms. Board members are elected by district in partisan elections.[7]
Elections
All 15 seats on the Calcasieu Parish School Board are up for election in November every four years.
A general election was scheduled for November 8, 2022. A general runoff election, if needed, was scheduled for December 10, 2022.
Louisiana elections use the Louisiana majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The Calcasieu Parish School Board maintains the following policies on public testimony during board meetings:[8]
| “ | The Calcasieu Parish School Board shall conduct all meetings in full view of and with welcome participation by the public. All delegations or individuals who wish to appear before the Board shall submit their requests in writing to the Superintendent at least eight (8) working days prior to the meeting date, stating the matter they wish considered by the Board and the approximate time such matter should consume at the meeting. Such items may be included on the agenda of the meeting at which the delegation or individual wishes to appear before the Board. Each delegation appearing before the Board shall select one (1) person in advance as its spokesman. After the agenda is set and published, all delegations or individuals who wish to comment on any agenda item must submit their requests, in writing, to the Superintendent prior to the convening of the meeting, stating what agenda item they wish to address. A procedure of general consent may be used for Board action but that procedure shall not preclude public participation or public comment as provided for in this policy. Each delegation appearing before the Board shall select one (1) person in advance as a spokesperson. In the event that the Board should add an item to its agenda after the Board meeting begins, the Board President shall orally request of the audience whether anyone in attendance would like to speak on the added agenda item. Each person indicating a desire to do so shall be given an opportunity to address the Board on each agenda item added. The Board shall delay deliberations on that agenda item until such time as all interested members of the public have had an opportunity to speak. The Board reserves the right to recess into or call executive sessions as provided by state law. At no time will actions be taken or resolutions made during executive sessions. The Board may have removed from a Board meeting any person or persons who willfully disrupt a meeting to the extent that orderly conduct of the meeting is seriously compromised.[9] |
” |
| “ | The Calcasieu Parish School Board has established a five (5) minute rule on comments by the public. With a 2/3 vote of the Board, this time can be extended by the Board for a time to be determined by a 2/3 vote of the Board. If at the time an agenda item is stated to be before the School Board or a School Board committee for discussion or action, there are fifteen (15) or more submitted “Request to Appear” Forms on that item, comments by the public shall be limited to three (3) minutes. To be entitled to comment on an agenda item persons must complete a "Request to Appear" Form and submit it to the Superintendent prior to convening of the meeting. The public may comment on any agenda item, including items appearing on the consent agenda. Only discussion relevant to specific agenda items will be allowed. The Board will not allow discussion on previous actions of the Board or on an agenda item from a previous meeting. The form may be picked up from and returned to the Secretary at the Board meeting.[9] |
” |
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[10]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $49,963,000 | $1,789 | 10% |
| Local: | $300,094,000 | $10,744 | 62% |
| State: | $132,533,000 | $4,745 | 28% |
| Total: | $482,590,000 | $17,277 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $566,160,000 | $20,269 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $528,298,000 | $18,913 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $232,686,000 | $8,330 | 41% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $52,361,000 | $1,874 | 9% |
| Administration: | $37,822,000 | $1,354 | 7% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $204,259,000 | $7,312 | 36% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $13,620,000 | $487 | |
| Construction: | $12,437,000 | $445 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $85,000 | $3 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $7,660,000 | $274 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024[11] | $46,761 | $66,161 |
| 2020[12] | $44,461 | $63,861 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[13]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 30 | 55-59 | 13 | 21 | 20-29 | 29 | 38 |
| 2018-2019 | 69 | 89 | 50 | 64 | 70-79 | 70 | 79 |
| 2017-2018 | 67 | 89 | 49 | 62 | 50-59 | 65 | 76 |
| 2016-2017 | 65 | 80-84 | 48 | 62 | 60-69 | 61 | 73 |
| 2015-2016 | 67 | 80-84 | 49 | 67 | 50-59 | 71 | 75 |
| 2014-2015 | 61 | 80-84 | 44 | 63 | 60-79 | 65-69 | 70 |
| 2013-2014 | 71 | 85-89 | 55 | 69 | >=80 | 65-69 | 79 |
| 2012-2013 | 70 | 85-89 | 55 | 67 | >=80 | 75-79 | 78 |
| 2011-2012 | 75 | 85-89 | 59 | 70 | >=80 | 65-69 | 83 |
| 2010-2011 | 71 | 80-84 | 55 | 66 | >=80 | 60-64 | 79 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 44 | 65-69 | 26 | 34 | 30-39 | 48 | 53 |
| 2018-2019 | 77 | 88 | 64 | 67 | 80-89 | 77 | 85 |
| 2017-2018 | 75 | 85 | 62 | 67 | 70-79 | 75 | 82 |
| 2016-2017 | 70 | 80-84 | 57 | 61 | 60-69 | 69 | 78 |
| 2015-2016 | 71 | 80-84 | 58 | 71 | 60-69 | 76 | 78 |
| 2014-2015 | 70 | 85-89 | 56 | 70 | 60-79 | 75-79 | 79 |
| 2013-2014 | 73 | 85-89 | 59 | 70 | >=80 | 75-79 | 80 |
| 2012-2013 | 79 | 85-89 | 67 | 76 | >=80 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2011-2012 | 77 | 85-89 | 66 | 70 | >=80 | 75-79 | 84 |
| 2010-2011 | 73 | 75-79 | 61 | 70 | 60-79 | 70-74 | 80 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 95 | >=90 | 91 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=80 | 97 |
| 2018-2019 | 89 | >=80 | 83 | 70-79 | PS | >=50 | 93 |
| 2017-2018 | 88 | >=90 | 86 | 75-79 | PS | >=50 | 90 |
| 2016-2017 | 84 | >=90 | 75 | 70-79 | PS | >=50 | 89 |
| 2015-2016 | 80 | 60-79 | 71 | 70-79 | PS | >=50 | 87 |
| 2014-2015 | 83 | >=80 | 73 | 70-79 | >=50 | 60-79 | 88 |
| 2013-2014 | 78 | >=80 | 66 | 70-79 | PS | PS | 85 |
| 2012-2013 | 78 | >=80 | 65 | 80-89 | PS | 70-79 | 85 |
| 2011-2012 | 78 | >=80 | 69 | 60-79 | >=50 | 84 | |
| 2010-2011 | 78 | >=80 | 68 | 60-79 | PS | PS | 83 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 29,523 | 7.4 |
| 2021-2022 | 27,334 | -2.2 |
| 2020-2021 | 27,932 | -12.6 |
| 2019-2020 | 31,444 | -1.5 |
| 2018-2019 | 31,902 | -2.1 |
| 2017-2018 | 32,564 | 0.5 |
| 2016-2017 | 32,397 | 0.6 |
| 2015-2016 | 32,208 | 0.6 |
| 2014-2015 | 32,024 | -1.4 |
| 2013-2014 | 32,481 | 0.7 |
| 2012-2013 | 32,265 | -0.9 |
| 2011-2012 | 32,563 | -1.5 |
| 2010-2011 | 33,063 | 0.5 |
| 2009-2010 | 32,905 | 0.7 |
| 2008-2009 | 32,685 | 0.5 |
| 2007-2008 | 32,522 | 0.8 |
| 2006-2007 | 32,247 | 1.1 |
| 2005-2006 | 31,877 | -1.8 |
| 2004-2005 | 32,449 | 0.9 |
| 2003-2004 | 32,149 | 0.7 |
| 2002-2003 | 31,909 | 0.8 |
| 2001-2002 | 31,644 | -1.9 |
| 2000-2001 | 32,261 | -0.9 |
| 1999-2000 | 32,562 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Calcasieu Parish Public Schools (%) | Louisiana K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| Black | 29.3 | 41.6 |
| Hispanic | 8.1 | 10.6 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| White | 56.8 | 42.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Calcasieu Parish Public Schools had 1,917.17 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 15.4.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 41.76 |
| Kindergarten: | 102.24 |
| Elementary: | 1,215.28 |
| Secondary: | 557.89 |
| Total: | 1,917.17 |
Calcasieu Parish Public Schools employed 0.00 district administrators and 153.33 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 0.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 0.07 |
| School Administrators: | 153.33 |
| School Administrative Support: | 160.48 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 402.31 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 51.51 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 82.38 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 61.67 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 114.58 |
| Other Support Services: | 683.22 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2012: Board term limits instituted
On November 6, 2012, Calcasieu Parish voters elected to instate term limits for school board members. Candidates elected in 2014 were the first class of incumbents to be eligible for the new term limits.[14][15]
As of January 1, 2015, any member who had served more than two and one-half terms in the last three consecutive terms could not be reelected in the following term. Former officeholders could be elected to the office following a one-term break in service. The limit did not retroactively apply to incumbents at the time the rule change was implemented, thus allowing them to potentially serve up to 12 more years.[14][15]
| Parishwide School District Local Option Term Limits Proposition (2012) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 50,546 | 67.85% | ||
| No | 23,950 | 32.15% | ||
Ballot text:
| “ | LOCAL OPTION ELECTION
Within Calcasieu Parish School District: Shall the number of terms of office that any member of the school board may serve be limited to three consecutive four-year terms?[9] |
” |
| —Louisiana Secretary of State's website (2014)[16] | ||
Contact information
Calcasieu Parish Public Schools
3310 Broad St.
Lake Charles, LA 70615
Phone: 337-217-4000
About school boards
Education legislation in Louisiana
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| Louisiana | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Calcasieu Parish Public Schools
- Louisiana Department of Education
- Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA)
Footnotes
- ↑ 7 KLPC, "Calcasieu Parish School Board names new superintendent," accessed April 18, 2025
- ↑ KPLC, "Calcasieu Parish School Board names Shannon LaFargue new superintendent," accessed September 7, 2023
- ↑ Calcasieu Parish School Board, "Superintendent of Schools," accessed September 7, 2023
- ↑ Calcasieu Parish School Board, "CPSB superintendent Karl Bruchhaus announces summer retirement," accessed September 7, 2023
- ↑ KPLC, "Bruchhaus completes first day in new role as superintendent," June 25, 2014
- ↑ Calcasieu Parish School Board, "About the Superintendent," accessed March 17, 2021
- ↑ Calcasieu ParishSchool Board, "CPSB Board Members by School (Election District)," accessed March 17, 2021
- ↑ Calcasieu Parish School Board, "PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS," accessed January 23, 2024
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ Calcasieu Parish School Board, "2023-2024 Salary Schedules," accessed February 2, 2024
- ↑ Calcasieu Parish School Board, "2020-2021Salary Schedules," accessed March 18, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "HOW ARE CANDIDATES ELECTED?" accessed March 17, 2021
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES," accessed March 17, 2021
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Election Results," accessed December 4, 2014
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