GONZALES - Ascension Public Schools wants to bring a credit union on the campus of East Ascension High School to help teach financial literacy, but a 2017 opinion from the Attorney General stands in the way.

Earlier this week, the school board passed a resolution to request a new opinion from the AG, and are hopeful that the AG will see the success of financial institutions on campus at other parish schools and grant a favorable opinion.

"One of our missions is to make sure that our students are best prepared for whatever they're going to do when they leave us. Obviously, there cannot be anything more beneficial than to manage their money and do so wisely," Ascension Public Schools Director of Secondary Education Beth Templet said.

In 2017, the school board requested an opinion from then AG Jeff Landry about bringing a local credit union onto a school campus. That opinion said Ascension Public Schools did not have the authority and said a credit union on campus is not an academic use of a school building and any school building must be used for educational purposes.

The opinion goes on to state that even with students working as tellers at the credit union, the AG could not see why that would be more educational than any other job and did not believe students would benefit from a credit union at a high school.

Ascension Public Schools said they disagree.

"It would be educational. Again, we have a requirement to teach financial literacy and we all know that students learn by being able to practice and that is what we would hope to be able to do," Templet said.

She is referencing Act 267 which went into effect ninth graders entering the 2024-2025 school year. That law, signed by former Gov. John Bel Edwards, requires students to take one class on financial literacy course during their time in high school.

Templet said a credit union would assist in teaching this curriculum.

WBRZ reached out to the AG's Office, who said Ascension Public Schools was welcome to request a new opinion. Even though opinions are advisory and do not carry the force of the law, the school system is still looking for state guidance.

Other schools in the area are keeping an eye on Ascension Public Schools because it is unclear what a new opinion could spell out for credit unions and financial institutions in other parish schools.

"If the precedence is set in Ascension, that's going to have a direct relation to Walker High, to Livingston Parish, to all the other parishes and other schools that have a credit union or bank working within their schools. That's one thing we don't want to lose," Walker High School Principal Tim Rogers said.

In Livingston Parish, there is a credit union on the campus of Walker High and the school considers it a massive success.

"I think every high school in Louisiana, in the United States, should have a financial institution tied to the school. It brings such benefits to the school," Rogers said.

Preslee Carver is a senior at Walker High and works at the credit union on campus.

"It's really helping me, I never really knew anything about the banking credit union world and now that I'm here, I know a lot about it and now how to manage my own money," Carver said.

Walker High's program partners with Neighbors Federal Credit Union which has several partnerships like this one at schools across Louisiana.

"We have another location at Central High School, and we're soon to open another location at Acadiana High School in Lafayette."

Neighbors Federal Credit Union's partnership with Walker High started in 2010.

"All the way from opening a checking account, to understanding how CDs works, how interest works, IRAs, how to handle banking needs," Cummins said. "They come in, they work with the employees and the student workers and then they're able to handle their own financial banking needs, they're not having mom or dad handle that, they're taking care of their other needs which prepares them for the future."

Walker High said its credit union helps with the financial literacy curriculum.

"It's an added benefit, a real-world application of what financial literacy is all about. Teachers who are teaching that class can come here and see how financial institutions work," Rogers said.

Students who worked at the credit union and graduated from Walker High said the experience was valuable after graduation.

"Coming from Walker, students really get an insight of the real world. Having that financial literacy to kind of back you up and help you throughout life at a younger age, has been very beneficial through my journey," Walker High Alumna and Neighbors Federal Credit Union Employee Brandi Chustz said.