IPSB to consider tax allocation

Published 9:08 am Wednesday, December 18, 2024

The Iberia Parish School Board will consider a recommendation for the allocation from 10% of the $.50 sales tax distribution to schools for the 2026 fiscal year and take appropriate action at Wednesday’s board meeting. 

If approved, the board will allocate $90 per student for a distribution of $980,460. The allocation is $15 more per student when compared to the last fiscal year, and is about $148,260 more total. 

The recommendation is based on the Oct. 1 student count of 10,512 plus 382preschool students. The total student participant count is 10,894, which is 202 less than last year’s count. 

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In other business, the board will vote to advertise for requests for proposals for wide area network connectivity and internet and take appropriate action. 

The board will also vote to enter into a contract with Air Reading to provide state-mandated high dosage tutoring to qualified students and take appropriate action as well. 

The tutoring is required after the Louisiana Legislature passed a bill requiring high dosage tutoring during regular school hours for students in K-5 not scoring at mastery or above on their state assessment. 

If approved, Air Reading will provide high dosage literacy tutoring through virtual, live tutors. Math intervention will continue to be provided through the Zearn platform as provided by the Louisiana Department of Education. 

Based on the contract a total of 504 students across the district will receive virtual tutoring with 202 students at the below mastery level receiving it three times a week and 448 students at the well below level receiving it four times a week. The total cost of both contracts will be $312,162 and will be funded through the school district’s allocation for high dosage tutoring.