Louisiana
A Louisiana charter school for dyslexic students plans to expand. See where, when
As many as one in every five Americans has dyslexia.
Yet as of 2023, only about 1% of the nearly 700,000 students in Louisiana public schools have been identified as having dyslexia.
For dyslexic children who go untreated, gaps in reading and writing abilities can begin as early as first grade, with potential consequences over time including lower high school graduation rates or college enrollment numbers, and higher chances of unemployment or incarceration.
That’s why Louisiana Key Academy, a nonprofit charter school, has sought to bridge the gap for dyslexic students by providing testing and specialized education programs at no cost to parents. Since its launch in Baton Rouge in 2013, the school has assisted hundreds of students and expanded to additional locations across the state.
The Louisiana Key Academy plans to open its fifth and newest location in Jefferson Parish, the largest public school system in the state, for the 2027-2028 school year. The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will vote to approve the new location in August.
“I think every parish in the state needs a Louisiana Key Academy,” said former state Rep. Joe Marino, no party-Gretna.
Fourth grade teacher Olivia LeDuff helps student Aaliyah Williams read a short story on a tablet during a Structured Language Arts lesson at Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects a person’s phonological processing, or ability to speak, read and spell. Dyslexia has no visible symptoms, and affects people for their entire lives.
Those with dyslexia require specialized education to meet their needs, including at least 90 minutes per day of reading instruction. Clinical diagnoses require comprehensive evaluation, including both tests and interviews.
‘What’s wrong with me?’
Dr. Laura Cassidy, wife to U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, co-founded the school with that in mind 12 years ago after watching her daughter, who is dyslexic, struggle at her private school.
“We’re spending a lot of money, but is this really going to get the kids where they need to get?” Cassidy recalled.
Cassidy said dyslexic children too often go undiagnosed or untreated, as costs and time constraints associated with the diagnosis, treatment and tutoring for the disability — as well as stigmas and lack of awareness — make it difficult for parents to access proper care, especially for those who are economically disadvantaged.
Student Kaiden Neal, center, smiles while reading aloud alongside Myles Netterville with the help of 2nd grade teacher Nicole Havard during a Structured Language Arts lesson at Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
A recent study from Sally Shaywitz, co-director of the Yale Center for Creativity and Dyslexia, found that about half of children grades K-2 at two New Orleans public charter schools were at-risk of dyslexia, and that a disproportionate number of Black students have dyslexia that goes undiagnosed or untreated.
Cassidy said dyslexic children who fall behind in school because they are undiagnosed can suffer from confidence issues in the classroom, which over time can lead them to drop out as early as middle school.
“You can imagine, if you’re smart but you’re struggling in school, and your classmates are pacing ahead of you, you’re wondering, ‘What’s wrong with me?’” Cassidy said. “If you’re not identified as dyslexic, then parents or teachers or administrators can sometimes think (you) are lazy or not smart.”
Those beliefs oftentimes lead to stigmas associated with dyslexia, which causes many to conceal that they have it from others, Cassidy said.
Specialized education
At Louisiana Key Academy, students are provided with 90-minute reading instruction in small groups every day, with six students for every one teacher. Children are tested for free before enrollment, and several teachers undergo two-year training in language therapy to help students.
The school operates under guidance from Shaywitz and her husband, Dr. Bennett Shaywitz, the other co-director for The Yale Center.
Principal Lisa Card, right, chats with 4th grade teacher Olivia LeDuff and student Aaliyah Williams during a Structured Language Arts lesson at Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
The Baton Rouge campus serves 440 students in grades first through ninth, and won approval in 2022 to add a 10th grade. The campus relocated to 5015 Auto Plex Drive last year to accommodate the change.
In recent years, Key Academy has opened additional locations in Shreveport and Covington, with a learning pod in Ruston opening in the 2025-2026 school year.
Few other schools in the region cater to dyslexic students, and even fewer provide that education tuition-free. Cassidy said parents commute from all over the state to enroll their children at Louisiana Key Academy, and some parents have even moved from out of state for the education.
“You’re just wondering, ‘Why can’t my child read? Why is my child so unhappy?’” Cassidy said. “It’s this enigma you’re not getting answers for, and then there is an answer. That’s why most parents end up bringing their kids to our school and, in the interview process, cry.”
Student Zara Williams puts her finger under the words of her book while reading aloud during a Structured Language Arts lesson at Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Statewide change
In addition to her work at the charter school, Cassidy has lobbied for changes to state education policy regarding the identification and reporting of dyslexia in public schools.
In 2022, Marino authored legislation to require that all teacher education programs include at least three credit hours pertaining to the education of dyslexic students. A year later, Cassidy worked with Marino to pass legislation requiring all kindergarten teachers to screen their students for dyslexia at the start of the second semester, a law that was expanded last year to include additional testing.
“Under the current school system, as long as they are able to continue to progress without failing, they don’t identify dyslexia,” Marino said. “You might have a students struggling to get a C or D, but they aren’t catching them as dyslexic because they haven’t failed a grade. Most of these kids aren’t being identified until they’ve already missed out on the most formative years of their education.”
Cassidy’s husband, chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, has also made dyslexia a key issue on his platform and has sponsored multiple bills seeking to improve accessibility to screening and treatment nationwide.
Student Evie Kennedy looks at her teacher Olivia LeDuff over the top of her book during a Structured Language Arts lesson at Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Marino commended Dr. Laura Cassidy for her work in helping students with dyslexia across the state, and with educating him and other policymakers on the subject and its importance.
“She’s a force of nature when it comes to doing good,” Marino said. “I never doubt or underestimate that Dr. Cassidy is going to get something done because I’ve seen it over and over again.”
Louisiana authorities captured the third and final inmate who escaped from St. Landry Parish Jail following a weeks-long manhunt.
In early December, three inmates — all 20-somethings jailed on “charges of a violent nature” — removed the mortar and concrete blocks of a deteriorating part of a jail wall, then used sheets and other materials to scale the side of the building, dropped to the first-floor roof, and escaped, the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office has said.
The last remaining escapee, 24-year-old Keith Eli, was apprehended Friday without incident in Opelousas by narcotics detectives and SWAT, the sheriff’s office said. Eli faces one count of attempted second-degree murder.
Eli’s capture comes weeks after authorities apprehended Johnathan Jevon Joseph, 24, on December 8. Joseph had been jailed on charges of principal to first-degree rape, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, among other counts. “Numerous tips” and “intelligence gathering” led authorities to find the escapee, the sheriff’s office said.
Days earlier, Joseph Allen Harrington, a 26-year-old in custody on numerous felony counts, including home invasion and cruelty to juveniles, died by suicide after authorities found him, Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux told the Associated Press.
A tipster had recognized Harrington, who was pushing an e-bike. Authorities found the e-bike at the home and then used a loudspeaker to urge the individual to come out of the house. They later heard a gunshot and authorities found his body inside with a hunting rifle, Boudreaux said.
Authorities announced the inmates had escaped on December 3.
Maj. Mark LeBlanc, of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, told the AP that he hadn’t heard of anyone escaping from the jail in this manner before.
“These three were just a little more creative than in years past,” he told the outlet.
However, the three men’s jailbreak came months after 10 inmates at another Louisiana jail — the Orleans Justice Center — in May.
The group was able to open a faulty cell door inside the New Orleans-area jail, squeeze through a hole behind a toilet, and then scale a barbed-wire fence to freedom. They escaped in the early hours of May 16.
Authorities found a message drawn around the hole: an arrow pointing at the gap and the words “To Easy LoL.”
While nine of the escapees were captured within six weeks of their jailbreak, the final inmate — who had the most violent criminal record of the group — wasn’t found until October.
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 20, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 20 drawing
04-05-28-52-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing
6-8-5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing
7-2-9-7
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing
0-7-9-8-1
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Easy 5 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing
07-17-20-28-33
Check Easy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto numbers from Dec. 20 drawing
10-11-15-16-26-28
Check Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.
By mail, follow these instructions:
- Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
- Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
- Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
- Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.
Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:
Louisiana Lottery Headquarters
555 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:
555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.
When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
- Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) – The federal government is building a nationwide standard as the United States competes in a global A.I. race, much the same as the Space Race of the 20th century.
Last week, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at establishing a uniform federal regulatory framework for artificial intelligence in the United States.
The order emphasized a need for AI companies to be allowed to innovate without hinderance from excessive regulations, so that the system would not become fragmented.
Marva Bailer is the CEO and founder of Qualaix, which works to improve productivity and innovation with AI through conversations. She said this framework a step towards realizing an untapped potential in the United States for innovation and productivity through AI.
“We are leading the AI race,” said Bailer. “What is getting people’s attention is there are areas that we could be a lot stronger and lean in a lot faster.”
We spoke with KALB political analyst Greg LaRose to learn how this new framework might impact Louisiana’s development.
Since 2024, the construction of multiple AI data centers has been announced across the state, with each new center estimated to be worth billions of dollars and promising new jobs and growth for Louisiana.
According to LaRose, the executive order should not realistically confine any of the state’s major AI projects.
“Through the Louisiana lens at that executive order from President Trump, I’m not really seeing anything that really confines what’s going on in the state.”
The majority of the state’s laws are concerned with deep fakes.
In October, Louisiana governor Jeff Landry issued his own executive order which banned, “Communist Chinese AI platforms’ from systems within state government.”
While it is unclear how Louisiana will enforce Landry’s order, LaRose said the state does face other concerns.
“I think they’re more concerned about giving China access to the data that is used to create, say, a Louisiana-based deep fake or any type of issue,” said LaRose. “For example, like transcription software that people are increasingly using to make record-keeping a lot easier. I think the idea is that that type of information be kept out of hands that we don’t want it in.”
This, as the global AI race heats up heading into 2026.
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