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Teachers’ union and some board members urge alternatives — four-day week, smaller board, special tax districts — as the district faces an $18M shortfall
Summary
Union representatives and several board members presented alternate cost-saving proposals — including a four-day school week, reducing board size and creating special tax districts — while other board members warned of mixed academic and family impacts and requested more data. The superintendent’s plan remains the staff baseline and will be revisited at the June 23 meeting.
Willie Singleton, speaking for the St. Landry Federation of Teachers and School Employees, presented a packet the union said shows savings that could be realized by reducing operational expenditures through two measures: reducing the size of the elected board and adopting a four-day work/school week. Singleton urged the board to also consider an impending reduction to the MFP (Minimum Foundation Program) and other statewide funding uncertainties as they weigh local options.
Singleton summarized the union’s view that a four-day schedule and a smaller board could help the district “ensure long-term sustainability,” and said the union’s packet used the district’s own data to estimate potential line-item savings. He asked the board to “look at these two items” along with the superintendent’s plan.
Board members debated the evidence. Several members said Louisiana districts that have tried a four-day week typically report only modest financial savings (often 1–2 percent) and mixed results on student attendance and test scores; they also flagged non-financial consequences such as longer instructional days, reduced after-school opportunities, higher child-care costs, and scheduling impacts for athletics and extracurriculars. One board member said some bus companies in other districts preserve driver pay by treating the fifth day as an incentive day, but other operational hurdles remain.
Legal and procedural constraints were also raised. Several board members and staff warned that board-size changes are governed by state law and could require legislative or electoral steps, and the board attorney advised members to consult the secretary of state about election and vacancy procedures before assuming a near-term cut in positions would be legally feasible.
The assistant superintendent and other staff asked for time to gather comparative data on the academic and operational impacts of a four-day week and on board-size cost estimates so the board can make an informed choice amid the broader consolidation discussion. The committee agreed to continue consideration of these alternatives at the June 23 committee meeting and at the special board meeting requested to follow that session.
