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WEDNESDAY: Senate Narrowly Rejects Charter School Voting Reform
A proposal aimed at simplifying how charter school conversion votes are counted fell short on the Senate Floor Wednesday. SB 65 by Stewart Cathey (R-Monroe) failed on a 19–17 vote, just one vote shy of the 20 needed for passage. Mischaracterizations of the bill’s purpose played a significant role in the Floor debate.
The bill sought to modernize the voting standard used when parents and teachers weigh in on whether a traditional public school may pursue charter conversion. Current law requires a “double majority,” meaning a proposal must win both a majority of those who vote and a majority of all eligible voters—effectively counting non-voters as “no” votes. SB 65 would have aligned the process with other Louisiana elections by using a straightforward majority of ballots cast. Sen. Cathey noted that the bill would have brought greater privacy protections to faculty voting, helping reduce concerns about potential workplace pressure or retribution, while highlighting that charter schools assuming bond obligations further addresses taxpayer concerns often raised in the debate.
During Floor debate, Sen. Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) also underscored during that charter conversion votes are often misunderstood, noting that parents choosing a charter school are themselves taxpayers and equally entitled to weigh in on decisions affecting their children’s education. “The kids are all taxpayers’ kids,” she said, framing the issue as one of equal access and opportunity rather than competing interests.
Senators adopted an amendment by Sen. Jay Morris (R-Monroe) requiring election participation equal to at least 25% of the school’s enrollment. This proposal, widely discussed ahead of floor debate, was designed to address opposition concerns, several of whom had indicated they were comfortable with the compromise.
Importantly, the bill would not have created charter schools or changed the authority of local school boards or BESE. A successful vote would only have allowed a school to submit an application for review—one that would still face full approval or denial.
Although SB 65 did not advance, Sen. Cathey has the option to bring it back in an effort to secure the 20 votes needed for passage, though it is unclear whether he will do so. Wednesday’s debate highlighted continued disagreement over how the process should work and underscored the ongoing conversation around clarity and fairness in charter school conversion votes.