By STACEY PLAISANCE / L’Observateur / February 24, 1999

LULING – Sixty-three staff positions will be eliminated in the St. CharlesParish School System due to a predicted decrease in sales tax revenue in the next year.

The revenue drop will result in a more than $4 million cut in the school system’s budget, School Superintendent Rodney Lafon said Monday.

Lafon said he heard from business and industry sources in the later months of 1998 that sales tax revenue in the parish is expected to drop within a year, and the school board’s budget may take a hit. Lafon said theparish’s director of sales tax confirmed the anticipated revenue drop.

Rather than approaching the taxpayers or having to reduce programs and personnel in the middle of next year, Lafon said he is taking a proactive approach.

The $4,411,600 cut in personnel positions, staff development, services, programs and equipment will be included in next year’s budget to alleviate any drop in sales tax revenue.

With the student population stabilized from rapid increases in previous years, Lafon said it is important the student population be evaluated prior to the hiring of more teachers.

The overall budget will fall from $70 million to $66 million next year.

“I could have waited to inform the public, but if someone is going to lose their job, I think they should have these six months of notice to be prepared,” Lafon said.

Lafon said he estimates the termination of 10-15 employees, most probably teachers employed with the school system for less than three years. Lafon said this number may be lower, depending on how manyemployees will be retiring or leaving the school system for other reasons.

Many employees hired to supervise and manage special programs and services for the school system will be placed back in the classroom, resulting in the need for fewer teachers, he explained.

“It’s going to have a domino effect,” said Comptroller Jim Melohn. “Somepersonnel will be put back in the classroom, and we estimate that 10-15 employees will be bumped.”Seventeen teacher positions will be eliminated in eight primary schools, and five teacher positions will be eliminated at the upper elementary level. The teacher to student ratio at the high school level will be alteredfrom 18.5 to 1 to 20 to 1, or six teachers per school.Other personnel positions being downsized or eliminated include counselors, coaches, special education teachers, teachers on special assignment, administrative receptionists, specialists, technology facilitators, math resource coordinators and department heads.

Some programs being altered or eliminated include Alternative Discipline a Positive Turnaround Program (ADAPT), T-9 program, High Expectations program, After School Detention, National Delta Faculty, Curriculum Development, Program Luling School, Adult Education, Help One Student to Succeed and Partners in Education.

Lafon said taking a proactive approach is more fair to students, teachers and taxpayers than waiting for the revenue to decrease and react to the lack of funds later.

“We’re being mindful of the taxpayers, and we’re trying to live within our revenues now rather than asking for more money later,” Lafon said. Schoolsystem employees will be disappointed for a while, but Lafon said the status of the system is still in good standing.

Prior to making cuts, Lafon said he approached his staff and school principals and faculty to determine the priorities from the accessories.

“We asked for input, and we decided to strongly avoid cuts to the classroom,” Lafon said. “We avoided classroom cuts and had toconcentrate on our needs over our wants.”

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