LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- The Lafayette Parish School System is consolidating more campuses next school year by cutting Pre-K immersion courses.

Art, Spanish and French immersion classes will no longer be offered to Pre-K students at five schools in the district: J. Wallace James Elementary, Myrtle Place Elementary, Prairie Elementary, Evangeline Elementary and Boucher Elementary.

Tracy Wirtz, Lafayette Parish School System Communications Specialist, said the decision is part of the district's optimization plan.

"The superintendent and the board are being very budget conscious and looking ahead at projected shortfalls that will occur in the '25-'26 school year," Wirtz said. "This move will save the district about $1 million annually."

Parents of students currently enrolled in Pre-K, French Immersion said they hoped the district would preserve the program for its youngest learners.

Rene Sonnier's son is one of those learners.

"At the age of a Pre-K student- 3, 4, 5 years old- it's such a rich time for learning, especially language," Sonnier said "I think it is important for kids' success in French immersion to have the opportunity to start in Pre-K. I really hope that they will keep and preserve Pre-K, especially for French immersion in Lafayette, for the benefit of the immersion program and its continued success."

Another parent, Gretchen Grant, said her son was on the waiting list for this program. Now, he will have to wait until kindergarten to attend immersion school.

"The earlier you get your child involved in it, the better the outcome," Grant said.

This is why she was upset to learn the decision was already made.

"I felt pretty blindsided," Grant said. "I'm sure most parents felt like we didn't get to vote on it or have any kind of voice in it. Parents should never be surprised by a school board's decision."

Wirtz said Superintendent Francis Touchet can make the decision on his own because it is not the closure of an entire school, just consolidating special courses.

"It's looking at the resources, both money and teachers, etc. across the district and the need," Wirtz said. "This decision was based because of that need, and the superintendent is allowed to make those decisions because he's given authority by the board to do so."

She explained it was already discussed at the LPSS district optimization meeting in November.

"The school board identifies essentially how much money we have to operate with, and the superintendent is charged with making sure that we operate within that budget," Wirtz said.

Wirtz said LPSS is focused on providing greater access to regular education Pre-K classes, including English as a Second Language and Special Education courses.

In the '25-'26 school year, LPSS will have two Pre-K only schools and regular Pre-K sections within elementary schools open.

Wirtz said the 9 teachers and 9 paraprofessionals currently teaching in the elimnated programs will be reassigned to open positions across the district.

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