BATON ROUGE — Voters in East Baton Rouge Parish had a direct opportunity to engage with the 14 candidates running for the local school board during a community forum aimed at shaping the future of public education across the district.

Hosted by the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students Action, the event allowed each candidate to present their vision for public schools and answer questions directly from residents on key education issues.

Organizers hope the forum helps community members make informed decisions when casting their ballots in the upcoming election on November 3.

"We hope that people cast a more informed vote on election day and that they know how they can get engaged and what their expectations are for people who are going to represent them and work on behalf of Baton Rouge's kids," said the CEO of the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students.