Betty Ward Cooper
Democratic · LA · Member, Monroe City School Board, District 5
Betty Ward Cooper has served on the Monroe City School Board since 2008 and is a certified school board member. She taught accounting and finance at the University of Louisiana at Monroe for 35 years after working as a public school teacher and librarian.
Where Betty Ward Cooper stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Education Quality (1 record), Civil Rights (1 record)
Opposes
Government Spending Reduction (1 record)
Track record
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 oppose
Voted for the district's 2025-26 budget, which also revised the 2024-25 budget. It passed 4-3.
September 9, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: mcschools.net
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 1 support
Raised concerns, with board member Brenda Shelling, that the district's Eureka math program was leaving many students doing poorly in math.
February 22, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: monroefreepress.com
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support
Publicly objected to the board's decision to build a new Martin Luther King school in a flood zone. She noted the contract had no Black or women subcontractors.
February 21, 2019Supports Civil Rights
Source: monroefreepress.com
Track record — General
General · 17 records
Seconded and voted for extending Superintendent Sam Moore III's contract. The extension passed 4-3.
January 22, 2026
Source: mcschools.net
Was elected president of the Monroe City School Board for 2025 by a unanimous vote.
January 21, 2025
Source: mcschools.net
Voted against turning Neville High School into a charter school. She cited an outside review that found the plan did not show how its goals would be measured. The request failed 2-2.
January 14, 2025
Source: knoe.com
Made the motion that set the rules for the teacher vote and parent vote on turning Neville High School into a charter school. It passed 5-1.
December 10, 2024
Source: mcschools.net
Voted to approve Superintendent Sam Moore III's three-year contract as written. It passed 6-1.
April 16, 2024
Source: mcschools.net
Voted for Sam Moore III as superintendent of Monroe City Schools. He won 4-3 over Clyde Washington.
March 14, 2024
Source: mcschools.net
Received the endorsement of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1160, which represents Monroe's city bus workers, in her 2024 race for Monroe mayor.
March 14, 2024
Source: monroefreepress.com
Made a motion to extend the superintendent search by 30 days. No one seconded it, so the motion failed.
January 23, 2024
Source: mcschools.net
Cast the only vote against the board's plan for finding a new superintendent. The plan widened the search beyond the local area and hid applicant names during scoring. It passed 5-1.
November 14, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Voted against naming Sam Moore and Serena White as acting co-superintendents. She said sharing the job weakens the superintendent's role. The plan passed 4-3.
October 30, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Voted to accept a tentative settlement for Superintendent Brent Vidrine's retirement from the district. The settlement passed 6-1.
October 30, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Made a motion to add a vote on naming an interim superintendent. The board voted 6-1, with Jennifer Haneline voting no.
October 24, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Voted to add a vote on placing Superintendent Brent Vidrine on 30 days of paid leave until a misconduct investigation ended. The motion failed 3-3.
October 6, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Voted to suspend Superintendent Brent Vidrine for 30 days with pay during a misconduct investigation. The vote was 4-3, but adding the item needed a unanimous vote.
September 12, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Voted against leasing the former Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High campus on Nutland Road to a Head Start preschool provider. She was the only member recorded as opposed, and the lease passed.
June 6, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Voted against extending Superintendent Brent Vidrine's contract through June 2025. The board approved the extension by majority vote.
March 21, 2023
Source: mcschools.net
Was elected president of the Monroe City School Board. Brandon Johnson was elected vice president.
January 14, 2020
Source: monroefreepress.com
Past race Betty Ward Cooper ran in:
- Member of School Board District 5, City of Monroe · November 3, 2026 · Monroe City School District, Louisiana · incumbent