Louisiana Key Academy

After discovering that there weren’t a lot of opportunities and resources for children with dyslexia in Baton Rouge, two parents of children with dyslexia came together and opened Louisiana Key Academy (LKA) 11 years ago.

LKA is an IMSLEC accredited school in Baton Rouge which currently serves children in grades K–9, providing students with the tools they need to thrive. Since the opening, the school has expanded to include locations in Northshore and Caddo.

Over the years, the mission of providing an innovative and effective learning curriculum to children with dyslexia has remained at the forefront of this unique learning environment.

Monica Owens, principal of LKA’s Baton Rouge campus, shares. “We strive to serve our community at large and provide our students with the remediation and resources that they need to be successful. At our schools, we use the science of dyslexia to tailor it to our curriculums in order to give the proper instruction that our students need to be successful.”

LKA’s staff focuses on building students’ confidence and playing to their strengths. They have a heavy focus on STEAM, and the school also provides physical education and arts opportunities. Along with this, the school hosts a literacy night, where students are encouraged to dress up as characters from books and reenact some of the scenes.

Such a unique schooling experience can only be found at LKA. Andromeda Cartwright, the Chief Academic Officer, explains, “We’re able to provide a full-day experience for kids with dyslexia. Whereas, when you think about other programs, or maybe in public schools, kids are pulled out for certain services and then they just go back into the classroom. With our kids, and with us being a specialized school just for kids with dyslexia, we’re really able to address their needs and support their confidence in their strengths throughout the school day, so they really get that full-day experience.”

The teachers and staff at LKA are passionate about the students and the programs they are able to provide. Cartwright shares, “Being able to provide these services for kids who wouldn’t be able to receive them elsewhere, is really powerful to me. Working a lot with our admissions process, we’re able to talk with families and hear about their previous schools, where they didn’t feel like there was anybody there to help them. When families come to our school, we’re able to change the life of the child, but also their family, which is something that’s very powerful.”

LKA is tuition-free and provides dyslexia testing as a part of the admissions process. For more information, visit them online at lkaschools.com, or stop by the campus for a tour.