My name is Kara Hoffrogge, and I’m the mother of a child with autism named Elijah. In August 2024, I began the process of trying to get my son the support he needs to succeed in school — medically necessary therapy called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). This therapy helps children like Elijah learn how to communicate, regulate their emotions, and manage behaviors that make it hard for them to function in a traditional classroom. Elijah’s physician wrote a letter recommending/ prescribing ABA in class. His provider is a licensed professional, trained to work in school settings, and we’ve followed every step the Calcasieu Parish School Board (CPSB) required. And still — after an entire school year — Elijah was not allowed to receive even one minute of therapy on campus. CPSB has delayed, redirected, ignored, and stalled. They’ve changed policies, passed blame, and most recently consulted with their legal team, who they included in an email response to me. I reached out to CPSB’s legal counsel directly and have yet to receive a reply. In the meantime, my son has missed out on critical support and has faced multiple suspensions for behaviors he can’t control — behaviors this therapy is designed to help manage. The most heartbreaking part? This isn’t just happening to Elijah. I’ve personally spoken with over 25 other families in Calcasieu Parish who are going through the exact same thing. Some have pulled their children out of school entirely. Some are paying out of pocket for private school. Others are now homeschooling their children while attending full-time ABA centers — not by choice, but because CPSB gave them no other option. Several others have shared they are facing the same situation but are scared to speak up. This isn’t isolated — it’s a pattern. What CPSB is doing doesn’t just affect students currently in school — it’s creating a long-term, system-wide problem for all autistic children in our community. ABA clinics are overwhelmed, with long waitlists and limited space. The demand for services is so high that even with new clinics opening, they still can’t keep up. If CPSB followed the law and allowed school-age children to receive therapy on campus, it would free up space in those clinics for younger children not yet in school — giving them earlier access to intervention and better outcomes. By refusing this support, CPSB is blocking access for all children across age groups and increasing the pressure on already-stretched providers. This isn’t just a legal violation — it’s a crisis that impacts the entire system of care. Under Louisiana’s Act 745, public schools are required to allow licensed medical professionals to provide behavioral therapy during the school day. Other districts like Cameron and Beauregard are doing this successfully — but CPSB refuses. They claim their policy aligns with the law, but the language they rely on still blocks services in classrooms. They say it’s about privacy, but Elijah’s provider is bound by HIPAA and fully capable of maintaining confidentiality. The reality is, this is a delay tactic that has gone on long enough, and our children are paying the price. What CPSB’s Policy Actually Says In their written behavioral health policy revised in September 2024, CPSB explicitly states: “Services may not be provided to multiple students at the same time, in group sessions, or in the students’ classroom settings when instruction by School Board personnel is taking place.” This restriction means that even if a child’s physician prescribes therapy in the classroom — and even if that therapy is approved under Act 745 — CPSB’s policy still bans it from happening during instructional time. This directly contradicts Act 745, which allows licensed medical professionals to provide behavioral health services at school, during the school day — including inside the classroom. Even Representative Rhonda Butler, co-author of Act 745, agrees. After hearing what happened, she told me: “This is terrible how these kind of things just go on and on.” She has now forwarded this matter to the Louisiana State Superintendent — but she can’t fight this alone. We need your support. We are demanding that: CPSB immediately comply with Act 745 and allow licensed behavioral therapists to provide services in classrooms without delay. 
The Louisiana Department of Education investigate and hold CPSB accountable for noncompliance. 
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) review CPSB’s special education practices for systemic failures. 
A public investigation be launched into the widespread harm being caused to students with disabilities in Calcasieu Parish due to failure of enforcement of Act 745 by CPSB. 
Our children deserve better than this. They deserve support. They deserve consistency. They deserve access to education that works for them — not punishment, policy excuses, or delay tactics. Please sign and share this petition to demand that CPSB follow the law and do what’s right for kids like Elijah.