Young Audiences Charter Association to operate Lawrence D. Crocker College Prep School Share Updated: 2:11 PM CST Jan 22, 2021 WDSU Digital Team Share Updated: 2:11 PM CST Jan 22, 2021 WDSU Digital Team NOLA Public Schools announced Friday that Larence D. Crocker College Prep would now be operated by the Young Audiences Charter Association. Young Audiences will be responsible for the school’s operation and management beginning in the 2021-2022 school year. The school serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and is located in the Milan area at 2301 Marengo St. According to NOLA public schools, in December 2020, after failing to meet the district’s renewal standards, Dr. Lewis went before the Orleans Parish School Board and recommended Lawrence D. Crocker College Prep not be renewed. Following board approval, NOLA public schools spent the past several weeks conducting an open siting process to determine a new operator for
Aubri Juhasz / WWNO
Newly elected school board members sat for their first slate of meetings this week, probing district priorities ahead of this year’s charter application process.
The district is responsible for assessing requests to open new schools, which can come from charter management organizations that already work with the district or newcomers.
The application process begins in early February with applications due in April. After that, the district takes two months to review materials, conduct interviews and hold public hearings, with Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. expected to make final recommendations to the school board on June 11.
Last year, two organizations completed the application process. Kevin George, the district’s chief accountability officer, told board members he expects this year’s number to be higher based on the number of charter management organizations that have already expressed interest. If approved, new schools would open in the fal