BRAC has released a public policy commentary addressing frequently asked questions about the processes that would lead to the creation of an independent school district for the city of St. George.
“Amid the St. George vote and activity since then, the fact that this whole effort started in dissatisfaction with public schools has not been forgotten,” says Randy Cangelosi, chair of BRAC’s board of directors and partner at Kean Miller. “Although St. George leaders have said activity to address schools is several years off, questions are swirling in the community about how a school district might be created and how it might impact East Baton Rouge.”
Some key questions that are answered in the commentary include:
Now that St. George has voted to become a city, does it automatically have the authority to create a school system?
• Must a school district created to serve St. George have the same boundaries as the city?
• Which East Baton Rouge Public School System campuses fall within St. George?
• Do the public schools in St. George transfer over to a St. George School District, if one is created?
• Will a St. George District have an obligation to contribute to legacy costs like pensions and health care for retirees?
“This issue will differ from the St. George incorporation in that all of East Baton Rouge Parish will have an opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to create a St. George school district,” says Liz Smith, BRAC’s senior vice president for economic competitiveness. “There are a lot of legal and other steps that need to be taken, and we hoped to help the community understand what might happen next.”
