Jefferson Parish Schools Chief Academic Officer Laura Roussel is one of eight district instructional leaders selected for a new national fellowship.
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching chose Roussel for its inaugural Fellowship for Chief Instructional Leaders. The program will run from October 2026 through June 2027.
Roussel will work with other district leaders to examine instructional systems, share approaches to common challenges and develop leadership practices. The fellowship will also focus on aligning district systems and supporting long-term academic improvement, according to NIET.
Roussel said she is honored to represent Jefferson Parish Schools and looks forward to learning with other instructional leaders. She said the experience will help her reflect on ways to support educators and improve students’ learning experiences.
Catasha Edwards, chief academic officer for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, is also in the cohort. Roussel and Edwards are the two Louisiana leaders selected.
NIET CEO Joshua Barnett said the fellowship is intended to help district leaders strengthen instructional improvement and better align their systems.
READ MORE:Two Louisiana education leaders, one from Jefferson Parish, selected for inaugural NIET program
