Calcasieu Parish teachers will receive two separate stipends in October that could total as much as $900. Two separate stipends on Tuesday were unanimously approved by the School Board’s budget committee.

Employees will receive the supplements in one paycheck at the end of October, Karl Bruchhaus, school system chief financial officer, said after the meeting.

For the first stipend, the state appropriated $69 million for districts statewide; Calcasieu’s portion totals $3.4 million. The state mandated that school boards appropriate at least half of their money for classroom teachers — about $561 per teacher.

But the School Board agreed to give $600 to all employees based on the teacher salary schedule, Bruchhaus said. Also, the board agreed to give $300 to all other employees not based on the salary schedule — mostly support workers.

The second stipend, based on teacher performance results, is less than the first stipend. This teacher stipend varies: $300 for those rated highly effective; $250 for effective proficient; and $200 for effective emerging.

Teri Johnson, president of the Calcasieu Federation of Teachers, said the extra money will be helpful for teachers as the holidays approach.

“I want to commend the board and thank you so much for passing the stipend and for supporting our teachers as you do,” Johnson said at the meeting.

While the larger stipend is state-funded, the smaller stipend is locally funded. The first stipend will cost the board $3.16 million, with the remaining $300,000 going into the board’s general fund to help supplement an increase in retirement costs, Bruchhaus said. The performance payouts will cost the board $853,000.

In other business, the 2013-2014 general fund budget revision, which included a $500,000 increase, was approved unanimously by the budget committee. The $290 million budget was originally adopted in midsummer.

The items approved by the budget committee will go before the full board at its regular meeting Oct. 8.

(MGNonline)