One item on the agenda for the Jan. 18 committee meeting of the Natchitoches Parish School Board will address the 2024-2025 school year. The district is facing an alarming $5-6 million cut in order to balance the budget.

After being tasked to create plans to address the deficit in November, district staff came up with two reorganization plans to outline ways to create savings and balance the budget. Only one of the plans results in a balanced budget, with the second plan mitigating some of the shortfall but not erasing it.

Plan A includes:

1. Remove Jr. High from Lakeview and send those students to Fairview
2. Close Goldonna

Anticipated projected savings to the district – $2,280,602

3. Consolidate NVA and NPTCC

Anticipated projected Savings to the district – $500,000

4. 10-20 Staff adjustments Parish wide: Positions

Anticipated projected savings to the district – $1,800,000

5. Central Office Budget changes

Anticipated projected savings to the district – 464,086

6. Move some school functions/costs from general fund to BRE.

Anticipated projected savings to the district – 1,519,314

Plan B includes:

Keep Goldonna Open (K-5) and adopt all other options (no BRE reallocation)

NOTE: 
Number of MFP students attending Goldonna: 99
Total Number including Pre-Kindergarten students: 108
Total Goldonna staff: 24

Please take the time to read Superintendent Dr. Grant Eloi’s letter to the NPSB and related budget scenarios. (attached)