Caddo Board Approves Back-to-School Stipend for All Employees
The Caddo Parish School Board, on Tuesday, unanimously approved a one-time $2,500 stipend for all eligible employees. The Back-to-School Stipend will be paid on Sept. 20 to all personnel who are currently employed by the district and eligible for benefits on Sept. 1. Employees must also be active on the payment date in order to receive the stipend. The stipend is made possible by federal COVID relief funds which are set to expire at the end of September.
“Throughout the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, our dedicated employees have demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment to the education and well-being of our students,” said Interim Superintendent Leisa G. Woolfolk. “In recognition of their hard work and as a testament to our commitment to supporting our staff, we are pleased to announce a one-time stipend of $2,500, made possible through the careful and strategic use of ESSER and federal COVID relief funds. As good fiscal stewards, we have ensured that these resources were managed effectively to provide this much-deserved financial support. With the funds set to expire at the end of September, it was imperative that we act swiftly to prioritize the needs of our employees, who have continually gone above and beyond for our students and community.”
This Back-to-School Stipend will be in addition to the one-time stipend signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry for teachers and school employees. That legislation provides a one-time stipend of $2,000 for certified staff and $1,000 for support staff. This one-time stipend will be paid to eligible employees on Sept. 13. To qualify, employees must be employed by the district on Sept. 1 and eligible for benefits. Employees must also be active on the payment date in order to receive the stipend. Part-time employees that are eligible for benefits will receive pro-rated compensation based on the amount of time worked.
“On behalf of the Caddo Parish School Board, I extend our thanks to each and every staff member for their continued dedication to our students and community”, said Board President Jessica Yeates. “These stipends are a small token of our gratitude for the hard work of our teachers and support staff as we begin a new school year.”
Additionally, the district is actively hiring teachers and support staff for the 2024-2025 school year. New teachers hired by Sept. 1 will be eligible for the Board and state-approved one-time supplements, but also a $1,000 new hire stipend.