BATON ROUGE — More than 10,000 students in the East Baton Rouge Parish School District could be affected by changes coming to the district next school year.

In an in-depth interview with 2une In's Mia Monet on Wednesday morning, Superintendent LaMont Cole laid out his plan to close schools and consolidate others, all decisions he said are backed up by research.

"I think the data, is driving this recommendation. We're not allowing the thoughts ideas and feelings that some may have about these schools to dictate the decisions we are making. We do take that into consideration but ultimately the data is driving this recommendation plan," Cole said.

The full interview can be seen here on WBRZ's YouTube channel:

In a realignment meeting Tuesday night, the district said that 10,178 students will be impacted, while 1,412 staff will be affected as well. The recommended plan will go before the board in May for final approval.

The following school changes were announced:

TO CLOSE
Bernard Terrace Elementary
Capitol Middle
Eva Legard
IDEA Bridge
IDEA Innovation
JK Haynes Elementary
Ryan Elementary
Westminster Elementary
Winbourne Elementary

BUILDINGS VACANT/TBD
Capitol High
EBR Readiness MS
JK Haynes
Westminster

BUILDINGS REPURPOSED
Belfair Montessori Magnet School
Bernard Terrace Elementary
Capitol Middle site
Eva Legard Center
Ryan Elementary 
Winbourne Elementary

Bernard Terrace's students would be reassigned to Dufroq Elementary, while Eva Legard's program would relocate to Glasgow Middle School.

Ryan's students will be assigned to Progress Elementary, Westminster Elementary's students would be reassigned to Wedgewood Elementary and Winbourne Elementary's students would be reassigned to Capitol and Melrose elementary schools.

Capitol Middle will take 7th through 12th grade students and Capitol Elementary will take students from 3rd to 6th grade.