Ouachita Parish committee approves increases to summer stipends for extracurricular staff

At a special call meeting of the Ouachita Parish School Board Finance Committee, members approved two changes to summer pay for extracurricular employees: raising the high‑school allotment from $10,000 to $15,000 per high school and the middle‑school allotment from $4,000 to $6,000 per middle school, and increasing the per‑employee monthly cap from $1,000 to $1,250 for June and July.

Jason, district staff member, presented the recommendation, saying the original allotments (approved in 2011 or 2012) had not kept pace with an expansion in summer activities. "The recommendation is to increase, at the high school level that allotment from $10,000 to $15,000 and at the middle school level to increase that allotment from 4,000 to 6,000," Jason said. He told the committee the increases are intended to remain competitive with surrounding districts and to address a growth in the number of employees working summer activities at each campus.

Committee members pressed a few clarifying points during discussion. Mr. Thompson asked whether the allotments were limited to athletics; Jason said the payments primarily cover extracurricular work and that band directors and others who run summer programs may be included in practice, though some nine‑and‑a‑half‑month employees are treated differently. Jason clarified that athletic directors who are 12‑month employees are not eligible under this allotment. He also said principals and athletic directors submit a form to his office that documents how the allotment is distributed at each school and that he signs off on those forms.

Committee members discussed whether larger high‑school campuses should receive larger allotments but did not adopt a size‑based formula. Jason said the proposal is a per‑school amount for the district's five high schools and 10 middle schools. He presented a bottom‑line figure for the committee: the total district cost of the increase would be $43,000.

A separate, related proposal would raise the limit on how much a single employee may receive in a single month for extracurricular work from $1,000 to $1,250. Committee members confirmed the cap applies to payments made for the months of June and July and that principals and athletic directors control the distribution of the allotment under the existing form and approval process.

Both items were approved by voice vote with no opposition recorded during the special call. Committee members said they plan to present the approved adjustments to the full board at the next scheduled meeting so the new amounts can be in place for the coming summer.

Votes at a glance: Item 1 — Increase summer per‑school allotments: approved (motion made and seconded; voice vote; no opposition recorded). Item 2 — Raise monthly per‑employee cap from $1,000 to $1,250 for June and July: approved (motion made and seconded; voice vote; no opposition recorded).

The committee indicated paperwork reflecting the approved amounts will be distributed to principals and athletic directors after final board approval. The Finance Committee's next regularly scheduled meeting was announced for Tuesday, May 20.