Retreat Will Outline SLSB Cuts
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
St. Landry Parish school officials are expected to explain a financial plan that could possibly redefine the immediate future of the District on Saturday when board members meet during a retreat that seeks to preserve long term stability.
The scheduled 1 pm retreat won’t include any official voting for any of the propositions that might include a potential comprehensive cost reduction proposal presented by Superintendent Milton Batiste III.
However there will be scheduled discussion that could include audience participation, as the sole agenda item for board discussion includes possible reduction of central office staff, repurposing school facilities, consolidating school campuses, closing selected school sites and reduction of overall operational expenses.
Board members were told in May that an amended 2025-26 could not be approved since it is anticipated that the District is set to experience a $3.94 operating debt.
State law prevents public officials from approving unbalanced budgets.
Additionally finance director Shaun Grantham said the school system has experienced a $7.97 million revenue loss due mainly student loss since 2024-25.
Grantham said she tried to reduce the overall debt for the system by paying off $9.7 million of bonded indebtedness.
During a June 4 board meeting Batiste said in his monthly superintendent’s address that the district could lose further state funding if state lawmakers approve an executive order from Gov. Jeff Landry which seeks to reduce state revenue to all state school districts in order to provide stipends for school employees.
Batiste explained that if the executive order is ratified, school districts will receive regular annual allotted funding, but will be required to reduce a prescribed percentage of that amount in order to pay for the stipends which Landry said won’t affect transportation, safety or food services.
