About 100 College of Education students have reached out to West Baton Rouge public schools to bring struggling students up to pace and keep those without disabilities out of special education programs.
 
The University’s partnership with WBR schools — the Professional Development School partnership — began three years ago, but officials are now turning the focus toward new developments in special education.
 
Because University tutors are spending extra time working with the students, grades and standardized test scores have continued to rise, said Karen Callender, partnership director.
 
The partnership benefits not only the WBR students, but also the University students who “bring the man-power to these schools” while developing their teaching skills, Callender said.
 
“I believe [my student and I] each greatly benefited from our partnership. I truly enjoyed working with him all semester and consider the relationship we had important to my development as a future teacher,” said Storey Martin, education senior, who participated in the program.
 
In the past, tutoring was focused on reading, but now tutors spend more time concentrating on math intervention — more than 400 hours have been dedicated solely to math instruction, according to Margaret Denny, partnership coordinator.
 
“LSU approached WBR because of our special education program,” said David Corona, superintendent of WBR schools.  “The purpose of the partnership is to provide preservice teachers with hands-on experience in a school system with a successful inclusion program for students with
disabilities.”
 
With full classes, teachers are not always able to cater to a student’s specific needs. In the past, too many students were classified as disabled, but now that tutors are available, slower learners are catching up, and less students qualify for special education, Callender said.
 
In 2006, about 12 percent of third grade students in West Baton Rouge Parish didn’t pass their benchmark tests for the next grade. But in 2010, that number decreased to only 2 percent, according to state testing averages provided by Corona.
 
Not only has the program raised WBR students’ grades, but their LEAP scores have also increased dramatically, Callender said.
University students are required to complete 20 hours of tutoring a week, said Margaret Lemaire, education senior.
 
“My favorite part of [the program] is getting to see their smiling faces when they’ve answered a few questions correctly that we’ve been working so hard on,” Lemaire said. “Any progress is great progress.”
 
Lauren LeJeune, education junior, said one of her students at Port Allen Elementary could barely recognize numbers and was considered uncooperative by her teachers before her tutoring.
 
“When I praised her for doing so good and told her how smart she was, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. If there was any day that I knew we were making a difference with the children, it was that day, ” LeJeune said.
 
 
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