Board president says room can be made in budget for more teacher, support staff pay
By Stacey Tinsley, stinsley@bossierpress.com
The Bossier Parish School Board President pushed for finding revenue for a pay raise for teachers during a review of the school system’s budget last week.
The board’s finance committee held the third in a series of public meetings on July 9 to inspect multiple revenue expenditures.
Bossier Parish School Board President Shane Cheatham spoke about an idea to see a permanent raise for certified personnel and employees.
“We’ve been giving this stipend for two years. I think with the state (pay raise), along with our stipend and us being able to add a little bit more, we can do a permanent salary scheduled raise of $2,500 for our certified personne and $1,250 for our other employee,” said Cheatham. “That is something I would like for us to think about and discuss at our next meeting.”
Budget reviews were made regarding the salary and insurance fund budget, sales tax fund budget, student transportation services, central services expenditures, total facility acquisition, and multiple grants.
“I do hope the community that is watching these meetings online understands more about our budget, where the money goes and that we aren’t just wasting money,” Cheatham said.
Multiple school board members requested these meetings in order to get an in-depth review of the school board’s budget following the defeat of two proposed tax millages in May that would have gone toward a pay raise for the teachers and a technology funding source.
These meetings will be open to the public in order to provide board members, business owners and the community a view of the school board’s revenue and expenses.
