The St. Landry Parish School Board is convening for a special retreat this weekend as officials consider school closures and other cuts to address an $18 million budget shortfall, The Advocate is reporting.
Following the failure of two ballot measures aimed at funding schools in the parish, the board will have to make budget cuts to stay in compliance with state law that requires their general fund to stay in the black. It could mean that schools across the parish might find themselves on the chopping block next school year, the newspaper reports.
SLPSB's budgetary difficulties have long been mounting and over the past two fiscal years have become unmanageable, the newspaper reports.
Like many school districts across Louisiana, St. Landry Parish has lost students as families have fewer children, move away or choose charter schools and homeschooling. But while enrollment has fallen significantly, the district's staffing levels have not declined at the same pace, The Advocate reports.
Here's the full story: https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/st-landry-schools-face-closures-amid-fire-financial-situation/article_c72bb786-1100-4088-8f95-ab92d8d4b36d.html#tncms-source=aca-featured-2
