School board refers 'Handle With Care' stipend proposal to policy committee

TANGIPAHOA PARISH, Feb. 3, 2026 — The Tangipahoa Parish School Board unanimously referred consideration of a proposed "Handle With Care" stipend to the board’s policy committee after members discussed how the program operates and who performs the work.

A board member asked the board to send the stipend proposal to policy for review, explaining that certain staff members trained to intervene in student conflicts and crisis situations currently perform the work without additional pay. "Right now you have individuals doing that work that are salaried employee teachers and they're not getting any additional pay for themselves putting themselves into this situation," the board member said, describing the rationale for exploring a stipend.

Board members debated the idea briefly. One member said they had resisted pay-for-duty proposals in the past but, after discussions with teachers about the scope of required training and responsibilities, had changed their position and now supported referring the matter for further review. The motion to refer the stipend to the policy committee was seconded and carried on a unanimous roll-call vote.

The referral sends the proposal to the policy committee to examine the stipend’s structure, who would be eligible, how it would be funded, and whether any policy or contract changes are required prior to implementation.