NOLA Public Schools are governed by the Orleans Parish School Board. The Orleans Parish School Board is a government body comprised of seven elected officials, each of whom represent a portion of Orleans Parish. The board meets monthly as a full board at its business meetings, and in smaller committees that make recommendations to the full board. Committees include Accountability, Policy, Budget/Finance, Property, and Legal/Legislative. These meetings are free and open to the public. More information about board meetings, board policies, and related documents can be found here.
Board Members
Ethan Ashley
District 2, President
District 2 MapEthan Ashley was born and raised in Compton, California. At the age of 16, he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, a law magnet high school in Los Angeles, California. After high school, he continued his education at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Juris...l
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Woody Koppel
District 6, Vice President
District 6 MapWoody Koppel, a native New Orleanian, attended Henry Allen, Jean Gordon, De La Salle and the University of the South at Sewanee, Tn., where he earned a B.A. in fine arts. Now a successful businessperson, Koppel was an award-winning teacher at James Lewis Elementary, who travelled as far as the Anna Freud Centre in England...
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John A. Brown, Sr.
District 1
District 1 MapJohn Alan Brown, Sr, is a lifelong and proud native of New Orleans. He is a graduate of Walter L. Cohen, Class of 1966. After high school, John left New Orleans to pursue his educational and athletic aspirations at Winston-Salem State University. While at Winston-Salem, he was a member of the football and track programs.
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Sarah Newell Usdin
District 3
District 3 MapSarah Newell Usdin is the Founder and past-CEO of New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and developing the people, resources and environment necessary to achieve excellent public schools for every child in New Orleans. NSNO directly launched/expanded charter schools, invested in recruitment/training for...
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Leslie Ellison
District 4
District 4 MapThe Honorable Leslie Ellison serves the citizens of Algiers, Faubourg Marigny, Bywater and the French Quarter on the Orleans Parish School Board, District 4. Ms. Ellison was first elected to the Orleans Parish School Board on November 6, 2012, and has held numerous leadership positions since assuming office. She currently serves as Vice President of...
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Ben Kleban
District 5
District 5 MapBen Kleban was the Founder & CEO of New Orleans College Prep (NOCP), a charter school network he founded in 2007 to provide a high quality college prep education to underserved children in New Orleans from birth through 12th grade. Under Ben’s leadership, NOCP achieved significant academic gains for its students, including two successful school...
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Nolan Marshall, Jr.
District 7
District 7 MapMr. Marshall was elected to the Orleans Parish School Board in 2012 representing District 7. He has served on several local non-profit boards and has been a member and officer in many school and community organizations. He presently serves on the board of directors for the Bayou District Foundation, which has the responsibility for the redevelopment of the St. Bernard Housing Development area. He is also a board commissioner for the New Orleans Recreation Department.
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Ben Kleban, Chair Sarah Newell Usdin Nolan Marshall, Jr. Woody Koppel, Chair Leslie Ellison Ben Kleban Ethan Ashley, Chair Leslie Ellison Woody Koppel Sarah Newell Usdin, Chair Ethan Ashley Ben Kleban Nolan Marshall, Jr., Chair Leslie Ellison Woody Koppel
Accountability
Budget/Finance
Legal/Legislative
Policy
Property
