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St. Bernard board urges legislators to oppose governor's plan to redirect MFP funds, warns of $1.7M hit
Summary
The St. Bernard Parish School Board voted a joint acclamation asking its legislative delegation to oppose Executive Order 26-047, which the board says would withhold $1.72 million from the district's MFP allocation and force cuts or use of reserves.
The St. Bernard Parish School Board voted a joint acclamation to ask its legislative delegation to oppose Governor's Executive Order 26-047, warning the measure would redirect state Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) dollars to one-time stipends and reduce the district's budget by an estimated $1,720,620.
At the June meeting, Miss Voce reviewed the executive order and its mechanics, saying the governor proposes taking $168 million from the MFP statewide and placing it in the general appropriations budget to fund one-year stipends of $2,000 for eligible classroom teachers and $1,000 for support personnel. The district's packet showed the state's calculation would withhold $1,720,620 from St. Bernard Parish's MFP allocation.
Miss Voce and other board members warned about who the order excludes and the budgetary consequences. The district highlighted that certain object/function codes (e.g., 112 for many classroom teachers and 113 for therapists and counselors) determine eligibility and that principals, central office staff, school nurses and many specialists appear excluded. "This action would result in a $1.7 million cut for the St. Bernard Parish Schools," read part of a prepared letter the board approved to send to its legislative delegation.
Board members described the options if the order is approved: make program or staffing cuts to cover the withheld funds or draw down the district's unassigned fund balance (reported in the packet as about $12.1 million). Administrators said the budget passed for the coming year would face a 1.7 million-dollar reduction or larger if additional staff were included.
Mrs. Harris characterized the move as a short-term stipend rather than a permanent pay increase, saying, "This is not a pay raise. This is a one-time stipend that is going to put districts in a place where they are not managing their own programs." Several members urged collective opposition and asked the administration to send a formal letter to state legislators; the board approved a joint acclamation instructing staff to mail the prepared letter.
The board asked local legislators to consider alternative, sustainable funding options that would not force districts to cut programs or deplete reserves. The letter and motion will be transmitted to the parish's legislative delegation as approved by the board.
