Submitted by the City of Broussard
BROUSSARD, LA (October 10, 2024) – The City of Broussard will be the location of the newest charter school in Lafayette Parish. The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has granted approval to the Lafayette Charter Foundation, Inc. (LCF), a Louisiana non-profit corporation, to establish Broussard Charter Academy, a Type 2 charter school, in the city.
“As our great city continues to grow, Broussard Charter Academy will provide additional school facilities, classrooms, teachers, education programs, and activities for our expanding school-aged population,” said Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque. “I would like to thank the BESE board members for authorizing this plan. This new charter school will be an important part of the future of Broussard.”
Lafayette Charter Foundation President Dr. Mary Louella Riggs-Cook said, “I am very excited to participate in establishing a state-of-the-art charter school for the Broussard community. This charter school will offer families a high-quality, innovative educational option tailored to meet local needs, helping our students thrive academically and compete on a global level.”
Broussard Charter Academy will be established and managed by Charter Schools USA. The school will serve approximately 900 students once fully enrolled, from kindergarten through eighth grade.
“Charter Schools USA has an excellent record of setting up academies within Lafayette Parish, in Lafayette and Youngsville, as well as several other parishes in Louisiana,” said Mayor Bourque. “I am impressed by the group’s commitment to education and passion for academic excellence.”
Mayor Bourque spoke at the BESE board meeting in Baton Rouge on October 8 in favor of the new charter school plan and encouraged board members to approve the LCF application. The BESE board endorsed the plan on October 9.
An application for the new school was submitted by LCF to BESE on April 19, 2024. A Type 2 charter school does not have an enrollment restriction by school district and can enroll students from across the state or region.
The Broussard City Council passed a resolution at the October 7 meeting in support of the new charter school.
The proposed location for the school is property on St. Nazaire Road, near the Broussard Sports Complex at St. Julien Park. The school is planned to open for the 2025-2026 school year.
