BOSSIER CITY, La. — Bossier Parish Schools is inviting the community to review and comment on its draft Pupil Progression Plan for the 2026-2027 school year, a document that dictates the requirements for student promotion and placement.
The plan, mandated by the Louisiana Department of Education, is available for public inspection through July 29 at the Bossier Instructional Center on Airline Drive. A formal public comment session is scheduled for July 29 at 4 p.m., one week before the Bossier Parish School Board considers the plan for final approval on Aug. 6.
Waylon Bates, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, ESSA, and academic affairs, said the newest version of the plan focuses on "retooling" language to help parents better understand district policies.
"This plan is very similar to the one we had last year, we just clarified some of the language in there for parents to help them better understand," Bates said. "We added a few extra things in there, like, for example, the platform we use for credit recovery for high school students."
Key updates and existing mandates in the 2026-2027 draft include:
• Third-grade literacy requirements: In accordance with state law, students who score at the lowest achievement level on the state literacy screener may be retained. To prevent this, the district is implementing high-dosage tutoring.
• High-dosage tutoring: These interventions involve small groups of three to four students working with a teacher, staff member, or online tutor.
• Credit recovery: The district officially listed the Edgenuity platform (Imagine Learning) as its provider. Students in credit recovery can only earn a "C" or "D" on their transcripts.
• Midterm graduation: New language was added to assist principals in walking students through the application process for graduating at midterm to ensure they do not miss ACT or financial aid opportunities.
• Quarterly proficiency testing: The plan now includes specific language regarding quarterly assessments used to monitor student progress toward state standards.
Bates emphasized that while the district must follow state law, officials are open to parent feedback. He noted that if a significant number of parents express concerns, the district team will consider changes as long as they do not violate overlapping policies.
"Everything matters in Bossier Parish," Bates said. "Every student matters, every teacher matters, every school matters... our parents matter. So we’re all in it together."
The Bossier Instructional Center is located at 2719 Airline Drive. Review hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.