Superintendent Burton asked the Caddo Parish School Board’s Building, Grounds & Security Committee on Nov. 1 to allow staff to begin price negotiations with Louisiana Tech University for property that includes the site now housing the district’s virtual academy and about 30 acres of adjacent frontage.

Burton said the request is part of a broader workforce‑development strategy that also includes moving more central‑office staff into schools, auditing high‑school coursework and expanding dual‑enrollment and industry partnerships. “We could build this building without adding any burden to the taxpayers,” Burton said, urging consideration of the Louisiana Tech site because of its location near I‑20, industry employers and the airport.

Why it matters: district leaders said a modern career center could expand work‑based learning, credentialing and higher‑paying career pathways — from healthcare and advanced manufacturing to aviation and drone technologies — and that the site could better align high‑school offerings with regional workforce needs.

Committee members pressed staff on logistics and community communication. Mary Trammell, a committee member, praised the proposed site’s central location and said she hopes it will improve access: “I hope there will be of more access to all of our children.” Jerry Bowman asked how the district will notify families attached to the Caddo Virtual Academy if the property is repurposed; staff said they have been in contact with academy leadership and will continue outreach.

Staff and board members discussed size and cost ranges in the abstract. District staff said the current career center sits on roughly 16 acres and that the proposed Louisiana Tech parcel is about 30 acres; early project planning referenced comparable career centers at about 120,000–130,000 square feet and ballpark construction figures in the low‑to‑mid hundreds of dollars per square foot depending on scope.

Action taken: the committee voted to recommend that the full school board formally authorize staff to initiate price negotiations with Louisiana Tech. The motion was moved by Mary Trammell, seconded on the floor, and approved by voice and electronic confirmation; the recommendation will go to the Nov. 18 board meeting for final action.

Next steps: staff said they will begin negotiations with Louisiana Tech if the full board approves, continue outreach with industry partners and refine cost/scope details before returning to the board for approvals that would be needed to proceed.