VERMILION PARISH — School districts across Louisiana will potentially see state funding reduced by an average of 5%, with Vermilion Parish Schools facing a 3.4% decrease.
Superintendent Tommy Byler said the reduction amounts to more than $2 million for Vermilion Parish.
"I mean we had a budget ready to go, and now you get this whammo, whammo of 'Hey, here's $2 million more you need to take out your budget.' That's not really easy to do," Byler said. "Therefore, we have to find a way to offset that $2 million somewhere else."
Gov. Jeff Landry's executive order reads, in part, "The Department and BESE should assist school districts so that the areas of security, transportation, and food services remain intact."
For Vermilion Parish, Byler said the reduction will not impact staffing.
"Our general fund balance is healthy enough to handle it potentially as a one time. Now, if this becomes long term, a yearly thing, then obviously then all districts would have to make adjustments," Byler said.
Kevin Berken, finance chair of Louisiana's State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), said that is the trend among other school districts.
"But what I'm hearing is that most of the people that I talked to in my area are able to sustain one year. If they go more than that, then there's going to be some serious cuttings, some serious issues, some things I'm concerned about with regards to keeping our growth," Berken said.
If the proposal passes, teachers will receive a $2,000 stipend and support staff will receive $1,000. But not every school employee will see more money in their checks.
"The teacher codes would get the stipend, but that does not include pre-k teachers. That does not include counselors. It doesn't include certain people, so you know, I mean a lot of us have issues with that. Principals and assistant principals don't fall on that, nor do school nurses," Byler said.
