After nearly a month’s focus on graduation, St. Landry Parish School Board members turned their attention to dropouts.
The Board’s Executive Committee approved an agreement with the Louisiana Workforce Commission to engage the Out-of-School Youth program.
The program reaches dropouts from 16 to 24 years old and seeks to train them in a career, explained Herbert Dixon, Louisiana Workforce Commission outreach director, at Monday’s meeting.
“I don’t want you to think this is magical,” he said.
“This is an opportunity, an eighth chance,” he added.
Dixon said by the time a youth is suspended from school numerous notifications have been made to the youth and the parents.
The program seeks to train the youths for something other than a minimum wage job, he said.
In the 2015-1016 school year there were 319 students who dropped out of the St. Landry Parish public schools, he said. The next year there 162 dropouts, he said.
Home schooling contributed to some of the dropouts, he said.
The program focuses on getting the students to pass a HiSet exam — GED — and other occupational training.
School systems in north Louisiana have agreed to work with the program and the attention has turned to south Louisiana school systems, Dixon said.
The program is not a substitute for completing school, he said.
“The best route for any kid is through the public school system,” he said.
“After everything has been done that is when we want this student,” he said.
School Board member Randy Wagley, an attorney, determined that it is possible to mandate criminal offenders to enter the program as part of their probation.
The agreement, which must go before the full Board on June 7, allows the school system to obtain points in the state accountability grading when the dropouts are successful.
Richard Lucito, of the Region 4 Workforce District, said the program does not cost the school system.
The district includes St. Landry, Evangeline, Acadia, Iberia, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion parishes.
The Executive Committee tabled action on an agreement for a telemedicine program at Arnaudville Elementary and a contract extension for Kelly Garrett as a communication specialist.
In the Buildings, Lands and Sites Committee meeting, Don Leger was given the greenlight after the full Board approves to begin raising annual lease rates for Bayou Courtableau sites from $2 to $10 a foot.
A three-year contract for asbestos inspections with Pouché Prouet Associates was approved for $26,550. The contract now goes to the full Board.
Also headed to the full Board is a waterproof project at Port Barre High School to cost $98,155.
The Committee also heard that Superintendent Patrick Jenkins, who was not at the meeting, and Sunset Mayor Charles James are negotiating the sale to the city of two lots. The appraised value is $41,000 and the city is to pay $38,000. The city has been maintaining the lots and uses them for playgrounds.
In the Board’s Finance Committee meeting, Tressa Miller, finance director, said the school system may end the budget year in June with a lower deficit than project. The deficit has been projected at $1.6 million.
The school system is maintaining a fund balance equal to 7.5 percent of its expenses, she said.
