LAFAYETTE PARISH — The Lafayette Parish School Board voted to cut $1.5 million from the central office budget during Thursday night’s meeting. The decision is part of a larger effort to reorganize and consolidate resources for better financial efficiency.
“There’s a lot of wasteful spending happening at schools, and there will be more cuts because that is not fair to the taxpayer dollar,” said Superintendent Francis Touchet during the meeting.
As part of the cuts, the district will consolidate and reorganize several positions within the Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS).
“This is the biggest cut to central office in Lafayette Parish history. We went line by line, looked at every item, and asked ourselves this question: Is there a return on investment?” Touchet said.
The board also voted to implement a reduction in force (RIF), a move that would allow LPSS to cut back on staff.
“By all means, this has nothing to do with teachers. This has to do with administration. If we have too many assistant principals or too many principals, we need this tool to know where to place them for the 2025 school year,” Touchet explained.
While there are concerns about potential layoffs, Touchet reassured attendees at Thursday's meeting that teachers will not be fired.
Despite the district’s financial woes, Touchet says he hopes to increase teacher pay in the future.
“The teacher shortage is real. My way of combating that is to pay our teachers more and also incentivize them when they get here,” Touchet said.
In addition to staffing and salary discussions, the board also voted to discontinue the JROTC Magnet Academy Program at Acadiana High School for the 2025-2026 school year.
“We’ve decided to discontinue the JROTC program until we can find instructors,” Touchet said. “As of now, we are moving forward with discontinuing the program.”
Since 2024, Touchet has expressed concern over the district’s financial difficulties stemming from declining school enrollment.
Touchet also said he is exploring ways to increase the teacher base salary to $50,000 in the district while addressing the current teacher shortages. Those increases were not discussed at Thursday's meeting, but Touchet noted they are a priority.
ORIGINAL: The Lafayette Parish School Board will address a range of issues at tonight's meeting, including potential staffing changes, funding, and budget concerns.
These discussions could potentially save the district an estimated $1.5 million annually, according to an agenda item.
The proposed changes include plans to reorganize, reclassify, and adjust job descriptions across the district.
"We are considering cuts worth $1.5 million at the central office to demonstrate that we have thoroughly evaluated and consolidated resources to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently," said Francis Touchet, Superintendent of Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS).
Ahead of the meeting, Touchet warned of tough discussions aimed at ensuring the district operates with an efficient budget.
"There is some waste happening at the school level that needs to be addressed," Touchet added.
"While I do not anticipate layoffs, it is my responsibility to present a fiscally responsible budget to the board," he said.
In addition to staffing and salary discussions, the board will vote on a proposal to discontinue the ROTC Magnet Academy Program at Acadiana High School for the 2025-2026 school year.
"We've decided to discontinue the JROTC program until we can find instructors," Touchet said. "As of now, we are moving forward with discontinuing the program."
The board meeting begins at 5 p.m. today at 202 Rue Iberville, Lafa
