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Acadia Parish School Board approves minutes, budget calendar, Head Start adjustments and harassment policy updates
Summary
The board voted unanimously on routine minutes and calendar items, accepted Head Start’s annual self-assessment and approved an enrollment reduction that repurposes 17 Head Start slots for program quality improvements; the board also approved policy updates to mandatory-reporting harassment policies.
The Acadia Parish School Board on Jan. 28 approved a set of routine and programmatic items, including minutes, training-hour recognitions, a budget-calendar resolution, Head Start program approvals and policy changes required by mandatory-reporting rules.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of minutes for the Jan. 14, 2025 regular session and committee minutes: Motion by James Higginbotham, second by Glenn Quivido. Outcome: approved (recorded as “Ayes have it. Motion carried”).
- Recognition of board members’ 2024 training hours: Board recorded member training totals for 2024 (listed in meeting packet) and approved the recognition. Outcome: approved.
- Adoption of calendar for revision of the 2024–25 budget and preparation of the 2025–26 budget: Motion by Jamesetta Davin, second by Steve Jones. Outcome: approved.
- Head Start annual self-assessment report and 2024–25 improvement plan: Motion by James Higginbotham, second by Ike Richard. Outcome: approved.
- Head Start enrollment reduction: The board approved a request from Head Start to reduce parish enrollment slots from 331 to 314 (a reduction of 17 slots) and repurpose those funds for program quality improvements. Motion by James Higginbotham, second by Ike Richard. Outcome: approved. Meeting discussion noted declining enrollment trends at some centers attributed to openings of private pre-K providers; the district said Ross Head Start Center showed a decline while Esta Wood, Rain and Church Pointe centers were maintaining enrollment.
- Policy updates related to mandatory reporting: The board approved changes to policy GAEAA (employee harassment) and JAAA (Title IX harassment) to reflect mandatory-reporting requirements. Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Becky Atkinson. Outcome: approved.
- Routine personnel assignments and sales tax report: The board received personnel assignments included in the packet and reviewed the sales tax report; items were accepted as routine.
How the Head Start enrollment change was explained: Board discussion summarized that Head Start had been funded for 331 slots but was experiencing declining fills at certain centers and therefore proposed an enrollment reduction to repurpose the funding toward quality-improvement activities in the program rather than leave funds tied to unfilled seats. A board member asked for clarification about the reduction mechanics and timeframe; staff said the Head Start office permits an enrollment reduction and repurposing of funds under its rules.
Why it matters: The Head Start enrollment reduction changes how federal Head Start funds will be used locally and directs funds toward program quality rather than unfilled classroom seats. The policy changes implement mandatory-reporting requirements for harassment and Title IX offenses in school employment and student contexts.
No contested roll-call tallies were recorded; votes were announced verbally as “Aye” and summarized as “Ayes have it.”
