Meet Cliff “Coach” Lewis and follow his work on behalf of students, families, educators, and the East Baton Rouge Parish community.
For Our Students. For Our Families. For Our Future.
Cliff “Coach” Lewis has spent his career around young people—as a student-athlete, professional football player, college coach, and education professional in East Baton Rouge Parish.
Known to many as “Coach,” Cliff brings a lifelong connection to education and youth development to his work with students and families. His story spans the NFL, college football, and parental engagement in local public schools.
Vice President, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board · District 5
Clifford S. Lewis, known to many as “Cliff” or “Coach,” was born in Brewton, Alabama, and grew up in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where he attended public schools. Education was part of his family life: his mother taught in public schools for 34 years, and his father was an educator who served as an assistant superintendent in North Carolina before retiring from the U.S. Army as a command sergeant major.
Cliff distinguished himself as a linebacker at Fort Walton Beach High School and the University of Southern Mississippi. He later played four seasons as an outside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers after being drafted by the team. In 2016, he was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
After his professional playing career, Cliff spent 16 years coaching college football, with stops at Georgia Southern, Southern Mississippi, and Southern University. In 2003, he served as defensive coordinator for Southern University’s Black College National Championship team.
In 2005, Cliff transitioned from football into education, continuing his commitment to helping young people grow and succeed. The EBR Schools biography describes his work as a parental engagement coordinator in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, connecting his experience in education with the needs of students and families.
Cliff calls Baton Rouge home. He is married to former EBR Councilwoman Donna Collins-Lewis, and their family includes three adult children, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. His family’s connection to local public schools is another part of the story behind his service to the community.
Biography adapted from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s published school-board profile. Please check the official source for the district’s latest version.
East Baton Rouge Parish School System news highlights areas that matter to students and families: strong literacy and academic growth, supported educators, and student health and opportunity. These district-wide updates provide context for the issues the community should keep watching; they are not claims that Cliff personally led each initiative.
Keep early literacy, classroom learning, and measurable academic progress at the center. EBR Schools reported that K–3 students reading on or above grade level rose from 48% to 62% in 2025–26, a 14-point gain.
Read literacy results ↗Strong schools depend on prepared educators, practical classroom resources, and learning experiences that engage students. In September 2026, six EBR teachers received more than $29,000 in grants for innovative classroom projects.
Explore teacher grants ↗Student success also depends on well-being and families being connected to useful resources. EBR Schools reported a mobile dental-care partnership bringing services directly to district elementary schools.
Read about student dental care ↗Keep families informed about academic outcomes, what is improving, and where more work is needed. The district’s Spring 2026 LEAP results reported improvement across every tested content area.
Review district academic results ↗Clear information about school options, magnet programs, and family resources helps caregivers make informed choices for their children.
Explore district news ↗Regular board meetings are generally held on the first and third Thursday at 5:00 p.m. The agenda, action items, meeting stream, and public-comment instructions help residents follow how decisions are made.
Meeting schedule & public participation ↗Source: official EBR Schools newsroom ↗. District-wide news is provided for context and should not be read as a personal statement of Cliff Lewis’s position.
Public school decisions affect students, families, educators, and neighborhoods. These official resources help community members follow decisions, find the schools represented by each board district, and participate in the public process.
The district provides opportunities for written public comment before meetings and before action is taken on agenda items. Check the current meeting agenda for the correct comment process and deadline.
Public comment instructions ↗Use the district’s official school-by-board-member list to confirm which schools are associated with each board district.
View schools by district ↗Review board agendas and documents, browse submitted public comments, and watch meetings online so you can stay informed between meetings.
Board agenda portal ↗ · Public comments ↗Quick jumps: District news & community updates ↗ · Board topics & public comments ↗ · Upcoming public meetings ↗
Recent EBR Schools reports spotlight student achievement, educators, engaging classrooms, and community partnerships. Each story links to the district’s original reporting.
Eight Baton Rouge Magnet High School students earned a perfect ACT score of 36 during the 2025–26 testing year.
Read the story ↗Six teachers received grants for research-based classroom projects intended to benefit students and strengthen learning.
Read the story ↗EBR Schools and Miles for Smiles launched a partnership to bring dental services directly to district elementary schools.
Read the story ↗EBR Schools and the YMCA of the Capital Area continued a partnership focused on water safety.
Read the story ↗A circus-themed learning day showcased creative ways to make lessons engaging for students.
Read the story ↗The district highlighted employees who have dedicated more than 30 years of service to its schools and students.
Read the story ↗These are district news summaries, not statements that Cliff Lewis personally led the featured programs.
The official meeting page links to agendas, meeting information, public comments, policies, and archives. The meeting page itself does not publish a detailed topic list for every upcoming meeting, so review the current agenda before assuming an item will be discussed.
Open the district’s Diligent portal to review posted agendas and supporting documents. Agenda items can change; check the current posting before each meeting.
Open board agenda portal ↗Written public comment is provided before the meeting and before each action on an action item. The district says comments about posted action items should be submitted through the highlighted public-comment link on that agenda item.
Review online comments ↗Past board records and public-comment archives show topics that have included proposed budgets, school start times, school grade configurations, policy revisions, contracts, and dual-enrollment agreements. These are historical examples—not a claim that they are on the next agenda.
Find board archives & policies ↗These timestamp links open the January 8, 2026 archived meeting at specific topics. They are historical examples to help residents explore the discussion—not a preview of the next agenda.
27:29 — School presentation ↗
44:18 — 2024–25 audit results ↗
1:06:07 — Harvest Commons Charter School application ↗
2:13:54 — Community Roots Leadership Academy application ↗
2:27:12 — High School Experience Initiative projects ↗
Meeting topics and action items are determined by the published agenda. This section is an information guide, not a statement that any particular proposal is pending.
A space for Cliff “Coach” Lewis to share personal reflections on school-board decisions, community events, education, and the issues affecting District 5. Questions from families and residents can help shape future posts.
New posts will be added here as Cliff shares his own thoughts on current events, school-board work, education, and community priorities. Posts will be clearly dated so readers can follow the conversation over time.
Send a question or suggest a topic for a future blog post. Questions are not published automatically; Cliff or his website team can review them and choose which to answer publicly.
Please do not include private student information, medical details, or other sensitive personal information. This form opens your email app and sends to the listed EBR Schools district email address.
These are suggested topics for future answers, not published responses from Cliff. Answers will be added when they are prepared and approved.
Suggested topic: where to find agendas, meeting dates, and official records.
Suggested topic: public participation and the official ways to share community input.
Suggested topic: board oversight, district priorities, and how progress is reviewed.
Suggested topic: finding the right district contact and making concerns heard.
These are the upcoming public board events listed by EBR Schools as of October 11, 2026. Regular meetings are listed for 5:00–9:00 p.m. at the School Board Office. Check the official event page for last-minute changes, the exact room, agenda, and public-comment instructions.
School Board MeetingThursday · 5:00–9:00 p.m. · Board Meeting Room, 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Official event details ↗
Committee of the WholeThursday · 5:00–9:00 p.m. · Central Office Board Room, 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Official event details ↗
School Board MeetingThursday · 5:00–9:00 p.m. · Board Meeting Room, 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Official event details ↗
Committee of the WholeThursday · 5:00–9:00 p.m. · Central Office Board Room, 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Official event details ↗
School Board MeetingThursday · 5:00–9:00 p.m. · Board Meeting Room, 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Official board calendar ↗
The general meeting page says recognitions begin at 4:30 p.m. on regular board meeting nights; the October 15 event page lists recognitions at 4:00 p.m. Confirm the time on the individual event listing before attending. All meetings are open to the public.
Use the links below to reach the listed public contact channel, follow social updates, or review public profile information.
The email address shown is the EBR Schools address listed for Cliff Lewis, not a separate campaign email. For office-related questions, use the linked social profile or the contact form.
