St. Landry Charter School will close at the end of this school year, a letter from the director states.
The school opened in August 2022 and has posted a D letter grade for both school years that data is available from the Louisiana Department of Education. The DOE's information indicates they had a 54.4 letter grade for their first school year, and a 51.5 letter grade for the 2023-24 school year. Student performance grade was an F, with student assessment of 33.2. To see the DOE's page of data about the school, click here.
"It is with a very heavy heart that I share an important update about the future of St. Landry Charter School," the letter from Executive Director Debra Faul states. "After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to relinquish our charter. We want to assure you that this decision was not made lightly. We understand how deeply you value stability, consistency, and high-quality education for your children. We feel the weight of this moment with you, and we know the emotions it may bring."
Faul explains in the letter that, under Louisiana laws and requirements, the school's board had to meet and vote on the issue prior to releasing information about the situation.
There will be a meeting for parents and community members on December 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the school on Burr Street in Opelousas. The charter school is located in the former Southwest Elementary School.
For the remainder of the year, "teaching and learning will continue" at the school, Faul assured parents.
"While the future structure of the school will change, our dedication to your children will not. We will walk hand in hand with you throughout this transition," Faul writes.
Parents at St. Landry Charter School say they’re shocked and frustrated.
“I don't know. I'm still in complete shock — my little heart is broke,” parent Regina Roberson said.
Roberson, who has multiple children enrolled at the school, said starting over at a new campus feels overwhelming. “I know everybody over there, and they know me, they know my kids,” she said. “Now I have to figure out where I want to send them and start that learning process all over again — learning teachers, the staff, the front office, all of that.”
In a written statement, Board Treasurer Chasity Warren said the decision was not related to finances. Instead, she said the school failed to meet required academic standards.
“As the treasurer of the St. Landry Charter School, I would like to say that the school did all they could to try to keep the school in operation,” Warren wrote. “The school was in great financial health — outstanding financial health. But, due to certain guidelines and them not meeting the grade needed, the best option was to relinquish the school.”
Warren said leaders wanted to inform parents early so they could participate in other schools’ registration periods and plan ahead.
“We definitely thank everybody for their understanding, but the school definitely did what was needed for kids to continue a great education elsewhere,” she wrote.
Parents like Roberson say they’re still waiting to understand how things deteriorated.
“I guess as it progresses along, maybe we’ll get those answers,” she said. “Right now I’m just confused and shocked — as every parent is.”
