Caddo School Board Expected to Vote on New Superintendent

SHREVEPORT, LA - A big decision could come this week for the future of Caddo Parish schools.

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The Caddo Parish School Board has decided to meet in a special session on Wednesday to vote on whether to appoint Keith Burton as the next superintendent of Caddo Schools. Burton was interviewed by the Board on September 11. He currently serves as the Chief Academic Officer for Caddo Schools.

He was one of six finalists named by a private search firm, but the Board did a straw poll of those candidates and Burton scored nearly 2 times what the next candidate received. After the scores were announced, the Board voted 7-5 to interview only Burton for the post.

During that initial interview, Burton outlined his plan for improving local schools. He wants to pay special attention to the schools that are struggling. He also wants to create several K5-8 academies across the parish.

What Is Expected to Happen During Meeting?

Superintendent Finalist Interview

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.

The Board is then expected to take a vote on the appointment of Burton and after the meeting, there will be a news conference to address concerns from the community.

Terms of Burton's proposed contract have yet to be finalized. Board members have told KEEL News they hope to have a new superintendent in place by October 1.

This process has been quite contentious as members of the community raised concerns about why the Board was only going to interview just one candidate. A lawsuit was filed against the Board in an effort to stop the process, but the judge denied the claims made in the suit.