Lafayette Renaissance Charter Principal Removed Amid Payroll Fraud Probe

LAFAYETTE, La. — The Lafayette Police Department is investigating alleged payroll fraud at Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy’s lower campus in Lafayette Parish, an investigation that has already led to the removal of the school’s principal and four employees, The Current reports.

An internal investigation by the charter school uncovered possible falsification of time records, improper payroll entry and unauthorized compensation payments. Those findings were laid out in a March 30 letter to the state auditor and district attorney from Charter Schools USA, which provides management services to LRCA’s governing entity.

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What Triggered the Renaissance Charter Payroll Investigation

The probe was prompted by irregular payroll activity involving substitute teachers, according to the March letter. An initial review of payroll and timecard records found repetitive and uniform substitute time entries, timecard changes made by managers that raised suspicions, and work schedules inconsistent with two employees’ out-of-area college enrollment during the academic year.

Investigators also flagged significant bonus and stipend payments to administrative personnel for which documentation of the scope of work, authorization and approvals remained under review.

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Charter Schools USA told the state auditor’s office and district attorney it had found enough indicators to warrant reporting potential payroll-related irregularities involving public funds. The letter noted the investigation was still in its preliminary stages, with no final determinations made.

Principal Clovis Benoit, Four Lafayette Renaissance Charter Employees Removed

Four employees were placed on administrative leave on March 28. A school spokesperson confirmed they are no longer employed by the Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy lower campus.

The school’s principal, Clovis Benoit, was removed amid the investigation, according to an April 17 letter to the Lafayette Charter Foundation Board, the governing entity that operates LRCA. That letter states Benoit was not directly involved in the alleged payroll misconduct but was responsible for day-to-day oversight.

Among the four employees were Regional School Operations Administrator Marva A. Williams and Administrative Assistant Shameka D. Bazile, both of whom provided written statements as part of the internal investigation. The other two employees identified by the school were elementary substitute teachers who are relatives of Williams and Bazile.

The substitutes’ names have not been made public. Both said in their statements they were unaware their names were being used to submit time records showing they had worked on days they were not present, and both submitted resignations as part of their statements.

What the Charter School Employees Said in Their Statements

Williams said in her statement that she could not recall specifics regarding allegations she had entered or modified her family member’s timecard, clocked her in or out when she was not working, or allowed payment for hours that may not have been worked. She wrote that she was unable to recall specific details and could not provide a definitive account of her actions. She did acknowledge she should not have allowed any improper actions to occur.

Bazile, in her statement, said she accepted responsibility for recording hours for her relative that she assumed were approved. She said she and Williams had previously discussed with Benoit the idea of keeping their family members employed at the school, and said she was willing to pay back funds received for her relative’s substitute position. She maintained her relative had no involvement in the alleged conduct.

Bazile said she had never previously been written up or disciplined. Her attorney, Kevin Stockstill, confirmed his awareness of the police investigation and his representation of Bazile but declined to comment further. Williams sent a cease-and-desist letter after being contacted for comment, accusing the outlet of defamation and demanding it stop publishing the statements; the letter did not address the payroll records or the internal investigation’s findings.

Where the Lafayette Police Investigation Stands Now

Lafayette Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Robin Green said the investigation is nearing a conclusion and that the school has been fully cooperative.

Investigators are also reviewing payroll system access, approval authority, and overall payroll oversight practices at the charter school. It has not been confirmed whether the review has been completed or whether it uncovered additional findings beyond what has already been reported.

Charter schools in Louisiana receive taxpayer funding based largely on student enrollment but operate independently of traditional public school districts. Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy’s lower campus, located on Vienne Lane just off Pont des Mouton Road in Lafayette Parish, serves kindergarten through fourth-grade students.

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