Harlan Kirgan
The St. Landry Economic Development Board voted to share in the cost of a strategic plan for the St. Landry Parish School Board.
On Tuesday, the Board approved sharing the $115,800 cost with Vision St. Landry, the School Board and the Greater Opelousas Economic and Industrial Devolopment Council.
Bill Rodier, executive director of the economic development group, said approving the money, “... sends a message to St. Landry Parish that schools matter to the business community. It sends a message to the School Board that schools matter.”
Rodier said education topics are usually on the economic board’s agenda.
New Superintendent Patrick Jenkins is leading the St. Landry Parish public schools in a new direction, he said.
“I see from the outside he’s pushing the envelop for change in St. Landry Parish. He won’t settle for the status quo,” Rodier said.
The School Board has approved demographic and facilities studies as they maneuver toward a spring tax election.
Earlier this year the proposal was for a 9.8 mill tax increase to fund a $3,000 raise for teachers and $1,500 for support staff. Also proposed was a 11.3 mill tax to fund a 20-year $90 million bond issue for capital improvements.
The first part of a demography study was released at the Sept. 7 School Board meeting and showed that the number of students will drop from 14,808 in 2013 to 12,959 in 2023. A more detailed result is to be released within a month, according to demographer Mike Hefner.
A facilities study is also in the works.
Seven committees are studying human resources; technology; policy and governance; academics, extracurricular and accountability; finance; operations; and parental and community involvement.
The strategic plan by Gibson Consulting is to bring the studies together to outline the next three to five years for the School Board.
Rodier said this is the first time a strategic plan has been developed for the school district.