Vermilion Parish School system expected to be $3 million in the hole; 16 teaching positions will not be filled

The Vermilion Parish School Board finds itself looking at a $3.1 million projected shortfall for next school year and the superintendent has a plan to reduce the projected shortfall.
Superintendent Jerome Puyau presented his plan to repair the budget to the school board members on Thursday.
His way is to eliminate 16 teaching positions, along with cutting 3.5 support workers and three at central office. The total savings would be about $960,000 - still $2 million short.
There is expected to be 60 teaching positions that need to be filled for next school year. With Puyau’s plan, only 44 would be filled.
Also, student/teacher ratio in each classroom in middle school and high school will be increased from an average of 22 to 24 per student/teacher ratio in middle school and 23 to 25 per student/teacher ratio for high schools.
“This plan is fair,” Puyau told the board members. “It is edged in stone? No. We still have to sit with principals.”
School board president Anthony Fontana asked Puyau, “When do you need for us to vote on this?”
“We need to move forward,” the superintendent responded. “This is not a recommendation. We don’t need another meeting.”
Because of Act 1, the superintendent does not need board approval to reduce staff. In other words, Puyau can make the cuts without the school board approving or not approving the layoffs.
“I am not saying we are calling for a vote,” Fontana said.
School Board member Chris Gautreaux responded by saying the reduction of staff only takes care of $1 million of a $3.2 million projected shortfall.
“Where is the other $2 million coming from?” Gautreaux asked.
Phil Sellers, the CFO for the school system, explained that the state’s MFP funding will be more next year because the school board is collecting less in oil and gas revenue and there is projected to be more students enrolled in the parish next school year.
School board member Laura LeBeouf recommended looking at cutting contract teachers first before cutting other teachers.
School board member Kibbie Pillette wanted to know if by cutting 16 teachers, will that affect the classroom?
Puyau said, “We can continue to do better with less.”
A special board meeting will take place Wednesday to finalize Puyau’s budget plan.
Fontana added he is worried about the insurance fund that is projected to be an additional $1.4 million short next month, coupled with the projected $3.1 million shortfall for next year.
“We also have to solve that problem,” said Fontana.