District proposes $25 hourly stipend for non‑certified high‑dosage tutors, says state funding covers cost

District administrators presented a proposal to set a $25 hourly stipend for non‑certified high‑dosage tutors, an effort administrators said would help fill remaining vacancies in a state‑funded tutoring program required by the 2024 Louisiana legislative session (Act 771).

"This is a research based instructional model that explicitly addresses any unfinished learning of students in the areas of ELA and math," the presenter said, adding principals receive an allowance from the state for high‑dosage tutoring and the district prioritizes hiring certified teachers where possible. Administrators told the board the $25 rate was selected so the program would be competitive without matching substitute pay and that the $4,000 projected additional cost would be covered by the state allocation for tutoring.

Board members asked whether paying $25 could draw substitutes away from ESS jobs; staff responded they expect the tutoring positions to be part‑time (about three days per week) and that only two tutor positions remained open at the time of the presentation. The administration said schools must submit proposals that justify tutor hires and that certified teachers remain the priority for these roles. The board did not take a final vote at the presentation and asked staff to proceed with recruitment and formalization of the stipend schedule.