Lafayette Parish Schools Short $1.4 Million

Administrators with the Lafayette Parish School System are asking the school board to tap into the district's rainy day fund to help offset a $1.4 million shortfall.

A proposed $243 million budget was presented to the school board Thursday at a special meeting. Board members will vote on the proposed budget following a public inspection of the plan from June 7 until June 20.

Superintendent Pat Cooper says the administration started with a $10 million deficit because of factors such as the required increases to employee retirement contributions and decreased state funding.

The original request from the rainy day fund was less than half the current amount, but because certain expenses were not included, the requested amount had to be increased.

Cooper asserts that administrators "have not spent all the money" and that the school district still maintains a healthy balance of $60 million.