ST. GEORGE — After its near-15-year push to separate from the East Baton Rouge Parish School District, Louisiana voters rejected St. George’s effort to create its own school system.

With about all of the state's 3,722 precincts reporting unofficial returns, Amendment 2 was failing 69% to 31%. It fared even worse in East Baton Rouge Parish, trailing 70-30.

Under the proposal, the governor would’ve appointed an initial school board and superintendent, with the district up and running for the 2027 school year.

EBR Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole issued a statement saying he believes the community "took this decision very seriously."

"This is not a moment for division or celebration at anyone’s expense; it is an opportunity to listen, reflect and move forward in a way that keeps students at the center of every decision we make."

The St. George Community School System would’ve inherited 5,800 students, land for a new school, two charter schools, and five traditional schools: Jefferson Terrace Academy, Shenandoah Elementary, plus Woodlawn Elementary, Middle, and High.

The East Baton Rouge Parish system showed that 12% of its employees could’ve been impacted, as they are currently assigned to schools in St. George.

St. George Mayor Dustin Yates claimed he would be able to lower taxes and that East Baton Rouge Parish could save money if a St. George School District was formed.

"We crunched the numbers, and our finances are rock solid. They want to talk about all the money they're going to lose but don't want to talk about all the services they're no longer be required to provide," Yates said ahead of the vote.

School board members and critics of Amendment 2, however, said St. George does not have the tax base to support a new district.

Critics also said the split could weaken East Baton Rouge Parish schools by shrinking the taxpayer base and student population.

St. George has the option to request lawmakers put the vote on ballots again.