The Orleans Parish School Board may sell unused school property to a public body if it determines the property is no longer needed for school purposes and the sale serves the school system’s best interests.
§905. Sale of unused school property by Orleans Parish School Board to public bodies A. For purposes of this Section, and notwithstanding any provision of this Chapter to the contrary, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following terms shall mean: (1) "Public body" shall mean the state of Louisiana or any department, agency, or instrumentality, or official thereof, any political subdivision of the state or any department, agency, instrumentality or official thereof, or any other unit of state or local government in the state. (2) "School board" shall mean the Orleans Parish School Board. (3) "School property" shall mean any school property or other immovable property under the control of the school board, including but not limited to sixteenth section lands and school indemnity lands. B. Notwithstanding the requirements of this Chapter regarding the sale of school property, whenever the school board determines that school property is no longer needed for school purposes, including those purposes set forth in R.S. 17:3982(B), and that the best interests of the school system would be served by the sale of such property, the school board may sell such property, without meeting the requirements of this Chapter or any other provision of law, to a public body as provided in this Section. If the school board determines pursuant to this Section that any sixteenth section lands or indemnity school lands shall be sold, the sale shall be executed by the state land office on behalf of the school board. C. The property sold under the authority of this Section shall be sold at a price that is not less than the appraised value of the property. The school board shall establish the appraised value by obtaining an appraisal of the property to be sold from a certified, licensed appraiser not more than six months prior to the date of the sale. The appraisal shall be available for public inspection. The cost of the appraisal shall be borne by the public body that purchases the property. D. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, proceeds from a sale as authorized by this Section shall be paid over to the school board and shall be used for the support of schools of the school system and, in the case of the sale of sixteenth section lands or indemnity school lands, for the purposes of the dedication of such lands as provided by law. Acts 2011, No. 393, §1, eff. July 1, 2011.