AUSTIN, Texas — After years of challenges, Texas-based IDEA Public Schools confirmed it’s ending all operations in Louisiana.
On Monday, officials announced it would close its remaining two campuses in Baton Rouge at the end of the 2024-25 school year.
In April 2024, IDEA shut down the University Prep campus in Baton Rouge after just three years of operation. At the time, IDEA said it was committed to continuing its work in the region, but that challenges have affected its ability to maintain its standards.
IDEA said that the end of operations in Louisiana won’t impact any of its regions in Texas, Florida or Ohio because each region has specific leadership and board of directors. Staff in Louisiana will be given opportunities for new roles and placement in other IDEA regions.
In 2018, IDEA expanded to Louisiana with schools in New Orleans and Baton Rouge but has seen issues in recent years. According to The Advocate, all three IDEA campuses in Baton Rouge were in academic trouble after the pandemic. In contrast, more than 20 of IDEA’s campuses in Texas were named among the best high schools in the nation in 2024.
IDEA Public Schools released the following statement regarding the end of its operations:
“Since 2018, IDEA Louisiana has faced numerous challenges that have impacted our ability to consistently deliver the standard of excellence our families deserve. After much deliberation and collaboration with our community partners in Baton Rouge, the decision to end operations in Louisiana at the end of the academic year was made on Monday.
This transition is specific to Louisiana, as each region is a separate entity, and will not impact operations in Texas or any other region. We are deeply committed to continuing to serve our students and families across Texas, Florida, and Ohio. For affected staff in Louisiana, IDEA is making every effort to identify open and applicable roles in other regions as needed and will provide access to job placement resources to support their transition.”