AMITE — In a historic milestone six decades in the making, the Tangipahoa Parish School System has officially ended its federal desegregation case. 

The school district has officially reached final unitary status as of Thursday, the system announced late afternoon, meaning it has fully complied with desegregation orders and eliminated any remnants of past racial discrimination. They can now proceed without federal court supervision.

In a statement about the conclusion, Tangipahoa Superintendent Melissa Stilley said, “This milestone is about much more than the closing of a court case. It represents the transformation of a school system that has created more access and opportunity for students.”

The federal court granted final unitary status to over a dozen districts across the country as part of the last remaining approvals of “Green Factors”, which is a set of categories established by the U.S. Supreme Court that measure whether a district has fulfilled its constitutional duty of desegregating.

In 1965, a federal court challenge forced Tangipahoa Parish to dismantle its dual, segregated school system and establish a unified system to serve students equally.

In 2012, the first Green Factor was achieved, as federal court determined the district’s extracurricular activities and transportation were unified.

Years later, in 2021, the federal court approved a joint agreement to establish a clear roadmap toward full independence from court oversight.

In 2025, the district received final unitary status in student assignment, teacher assignment and administrative hiring practices, along with a provisional status in facilities.

To achieve full compliance in desegregated facilities, Tangipahoa Parish invested over $150 million into building new classrooms, modernizing campuses and updating school technology across the district.