Monroe School Board Approves 3 Charter Schools

MONROE, La. (AP) — The Monroe City School Board has approved three applications for charter schools.

With a vote of 5-1 Tuesday, The News-Star reports the board approved Neville High School, Excellence Academy and Vision Learning Academy as charters.

The schools must now work with the district to finalize contracts. Schools must also be approved by the federal court who oversees the district's order to desegregate.

Applications from Neville and Excellence Academy were presented to the board in early May, but board members received the 100-page charter application by Vision Learning Academy, a high school for at-risk students, last week.

Neville would like to begin operation as a charter on Aug. 1.

Excellence Academy told the board they would like to open in August 2013.