East Baton Rouge school board denies Community Roots Leadership Academy charter after presentation and public debate
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Summary
After a public presentation and dozens of comments for and against, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted to accept the superintendent's recommendation to deny the Community Roots Leadership Academy charter application; other consent items were approved earlier in the meeting.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted to accept the recommendation to deny the Community Roots Leadership Academy (CRLA) charter application following a public presentation and extended comment from supporters and critics.
Rochelle Washington Scott, founder and proposed founding principal of CRLA, presented the K'8 model she described as rooted in "literacy, leadership and legacy," emphasizing a hybrid "high-touch, high-tech" approach that would use AI-driven personalized learning, project-based learning and a multi-stage campus model. Dr. Lucretia Terrence, an instructional adviser who said she had reviewed local data and led national turnaround work, spoke in support of the proposal.
Supporters who spoke or submitted online comments framed CRLA as a targeted response to stagnating literacy and middle-grade declines in North Baton Rouge, and urged the board to approve a locally governed option focused on foundational reading and career pathways. Opponents raised concerns about enrollment projections, local placement and fiscal impacts. Public commenter James Finney cited application shortfalls and warned the board of the potential revenue drawn by a new charter; Valencia Johnson, president of the East Baton Rouge Parish Association of Educators, urged the board not to approve charters while the district faces uncertainty tied to the pending Saint George ballot measure.
Board members asked about facility choices (including discussion of JK Haynes), prior communications between the applicant and board members, and next steps if local approval was denied. Board Member Carla Powell Lewis said she would abstain from voting because of prior contact with the applicant. After questions and final remarks, a motion to deny the application was made and seconded; the motion carried and the board recorded that the motion "carries." The record does not show a detailed roll-call tally included in the public transcript.
Earlier in the meeting, the board approved the remaining consent agenda items after pulling item f2 (the CRLA recommendation) for discussion. Those items included consideration of the Harvest Commons charter school application and authorization related to group 1 projects for the High School Experience initiative.
The board scheduled further meetings (Committee of the Whole on Feb. 5, 2026; regular meeting on Feb. 19, 2026) and adjourned.
Why this matters: The board's decision removes a locally proposed K'8 charter focused on literacy and leadership from immediate consideration by the local board. Supporters argued it targets gaps in North Baton Rouge; opponents cited fiscal and enrollment concerns amid broader district uncertainty.
