Bossier Parish board approves state-funded pay supplements for special-education teachers

The Bossier Parish School Board on a unanimous show-of-hands vote approved guidelines to spend state differentiated-compensation funds on special-education teacher pay supplements.

District presenter Ms. Bamberg said the program, now in its third year, targets state-designated critical shortage areas in special education. The proposal establishes three payment "buckets": a $2,500 annual supplement for teachers in specialty special-education classrooms and early-childhood special-education (paid in two installments, in January and June), a $1,500 annual supplement for special-education teachers in inclusion or general classrooms (also in two payments), and a separate payment category for teachers working in the district's "great" program for high-need students. Ms. Bamberg said the funds come from the state's differentiated-compensation allocation and will not require locally generated funds.

Miss Smith moved to approve the guidelines; the motion was seconded by Mister Bertrand and approved by show of hands and verbal ayes. The board did not record a roll-call vote by name.

The change is intended to recognize higher demands in certain special-education assignments and to help retain and support teachers working in high-need settings. Implementation details in the presentation included the January and June payment schedule and the district's plan to identify eligible teachers; the district did not provide the exact number of teachers who will receive each supplement at the meeting.

The board will move forward with the payment schedule and the staff indicated the state funding source covers the cost of these supplements.