State group questions withholding of stipends

One of Louisiana's teacher unions has issued statements in support of Rapides school employees requesting a stipend.

The proposed supplement, sometimes referred to as a Christmas bonus, will be discussed at the Rapides Parish School Board's Dec. 6 meeting.

However, at a Nov. 15 meeting, the board's finance committee gave little reason to believe the motion will pass full board approval. Committee members said that they can't afford the stipends this year with current budget projections.

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"We have to work together to address this issue completely," said Charmagne Guillory, president of the Rapides chapter of Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana.

"As long as the December check is allocated from the general fund, and we don't undercover and address the root financial causes of this deficit, then I fear we will have these conversations each year," Guillory continued in a statement provided to The Town Talk.

Other school districts in the state, including some locally like Avoyelles and Grant, distribute a sales tax supplement around December each year. Past supplements for Rapides employees have been been covered largely by money from the board's general fund.

But this year, board members said they are anticipating a budget deficit due to lower enrollment. Losing about 100 students cost about $567,000 in MFP funds since the state allocates roughly $6,000 per student, according to the district.

A+PEL has requested an updated revenue and expense report from the district for further examination, according to Executive Director Keith Courville.

"Our state office is committed to discovering if the school board truly lacked the financial capacity to write this check, or simply the will to write it," Courville said in an email to The Town Talk.

"As citizens and employees, we need more information on the year-to-date finances of our district," Guillory echoed in her statement.

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Courville, who serves on the state's Minimum Foundation Program commission, said because of factors like inflation "Rapides Parish should have received an additional $2 million in MFP funding, which far exceeds any revenue loss from a decrease in students."

He also pointed out "the district is saving an additional .8 percent this year on every employee's retirement contribution. They should at least consider using these savings to fund the Christmas check."

Guillory said teachers and school employees deserve the money.

"We have one of the hardest and most important jobs in the world and should be recognized as such," she said. "Given the challenges of today's economy, the check in December is a needed blessing for so many of us. The December check means less stress for us and our families during the Christmas season."

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