CAJUNS HANG ON FOR 34-30 WIN OVER ARKANSAS STATE 1C THE
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T H E A C A D I A N A A D V O C AT E.C O M
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F r i d ay, N ov e m b e r 21, 2025
Acadiana schools see stable scores
Accountability system to get overhaul next year
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La. officials back plan to increase Gulf oil fields Proposal would bring millions of dollars into the state
BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump proposed Thursday a five-year plan that would open about 1.27 billion acres to oil and gas exploration and hold seven lease sales off Louisiana’s Gulf coast, leading to acclaim from state officials. Trump’s plan will “boost domestic exploration and production in the Gulf of America and provide much- ä Trump needed predictability,” said administration House Majority Leader Steve announces Scalise, R-Jefferson. Under drilling off provisions Scalise inserted into the law, Louisiana will get a California, larger portion of the millions of Florida coasts. dollars the federal government PAGE 4A shares with states from the bids and royalty payments. The 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, when enacted, would replace the existing five-year plan released under the President Joe Biden administration. The current five-year plan sharply curtailed development of oil and gas deposits in the Gulf and elsewhere as part of the former president’s efforts to address climate change. Trump proposes to hold 34 offshore oil and gas
ä See GULF, page 5A STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
Students head to class following morning assembly at Paul Breaux Middle School on Aug. 7, the first day of school.
Lafayette-area school performance scores
BY ASHLEY WHITE
Staff writer
Most Acadiana public school districts saw no change in their performance scores, according to state data released Thursday. Vermilion Parish, one of the state’s top-performing districts, received an A letter grade. Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette and St. Mary parishes retained their B letter grades. St. Landry retained its C letter grade. St. Martin Parish dropped one letter grade to a C. The scores are calculated using an accountability formula created by the state that measures success using a variety of data points, including state standardized test scores, growth on those tests and high school graduation rates. This is the last year that accountability system will be in place. The new system, designed to be simpler and to reward success, calculates a score based on the percentage of students who meet each goal. It emphasizes student improvement on state tests over proficiency.
ä See SCHOOLS, page 6A
The official 2025 grades are based on 2024-25 school year performance data. The unofficial simulated grades show how districts would do under the state’s revised rating system, which takes effect in 2026. 2024 LETTER GRADE
2025 LETTER GRADE
2025 SIMULATED LETTER GRADE
Acadia
B
B
C
Evangeline
B
B
C
Iberia
B
B
C
Lafayette
B
B
B
St. Landry
C
C
C
St. Martin
B
C
C
St. Mary
B
B
B
Vermilion
A
A
A
SCHOOL SYSTEM
Source: Louisiana Department of Education Note: Individual school grades in each district vary. For a detailed list, visit theadvocate.com
Staff graphic
Meta will buy energy from La. solar farm
Sheep to serve as lawn mowers BY JOSIE ABUGOV
Staff writer
A multinational energy company has completed construction of its first solar farm in Louisiana, a project outside Monroe that will generate enough electricity to power 17,000 homes and use a flock of 600 sheep as on-site lawn mowers. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will buy the renewable energy, though the solar project is not directly tied to the massive artificial intelligence data center the tech giant is building in northeast Louisiana. The renewable
ä See SOLAR, page 6A
Second drone company to open in old tannery building BY ADAM DAIGLE
Acadiana business editor A second drone company announced plans to locate inside the former reptile tannery building in Lafayette, a move that will create over 600 jobs. Drone Institute, which specializes in drone training and inspection services, will move into the building at 105 Dorset Ave., a $340,000 investment that will house its operations, data processing and pilot training, the office of Louisiana Economic Development announced. The company will be housed with DMR Technologies, which will oc-
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cupy about 10,000 square feet of the 90,000-square-foot building that once housed The Reptile Tannery and the L.A. Frey and Sons plant. Combined, the two drone companies are expected to employ over 1,000. “Drone Institute’s expansion in Lafayette reflects the growing momentum of Louisiana’s innovation economy,” LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois said. “Only a month after DMR’s announcement, this project strengthens our state’s position as a center for drone technology and highlights the role of Acadiana’s talent and expertise in shaping the future of advanced in-
dustry.” Drone Institutes will manage its nationwide drone missions, train pilots and geospatial analysts at the site and develop advanced imaging tools that help industrial clients detect and prevent infrastructure issues. The Lafayette-based company has steadily expanded its workforce and capabilities to meet growing demand for aerial data and inspection services nationwide. Construction is expected to begin by the end of the year and be complete by next summer. Commercial operations will scale during con-
STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
A second drone company has announced plans to locate in the old ä See DRONE, page 5A reptile tannery building on Dorset Road.
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