(The Center Square) — After meetings discussing the newly proposed budget for the 2025-2026 school year, the Caddo Parish School Board held a public hearing this week and concerns remained the same — the lack of raises for teachers and school employees.
Ultimately, the school board voted to approve the proposed consolidated annual budget. School board member Dr. Terence Vinson, District 3, was the only member who voted against the budget.
Jordan Thomas, President of Red River United, voiced her continued concerns over the proposed budget for the next school year during the public hearing. Thomas has long advocated for pay raises for teachers and school employees.
“We have come to you time and time again expressing this same concern,” Thomas said to the school board Tuesday.
“What we do see in this budget are reductions to critical Title One funding and increased workloads and expectations. These changes come at a time when staff morale is already strained, and the cost of living continues to rise,” said Thomas.
According to Thomas, teachers and school employees have not received a raise since the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
Veteran teacher and newly elected President of the Caddo Federation of Teachers and Support Personnel Carlos McDaniel also spoke to the eight years teachers have gone without a pay raise in the parish.
“We’ve been met with silence, disregard, and even outright disdain since 2017,” said McDaniel. “We’ve not had a local pay increase. That’s eight years. Eight years of falling behind the rising costs of fuel, food, insurance, rent and basic needs for our families.”
McDaniel has served the parish as a teacher for 22 years.
McDaniel spoke to the parish’s B rating being met with an expensive and invasive time management system instead of a raise. He also references the new leave policy previously discussed.
Thomas and McDaniel’s remarks were met with applause. In recent meetings, the council discussed pay raises after hearing from Thomas and McDaniel. School Board Member Dottie Bell, District 12, said they must get raises in order for people to understand that education is important.
After Caddo Public School Superintendent Keith Burton questioned what a 5% raise would look like in the June 3 meeting, data given by Caddo Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Jeff Howard showed that on a $200 million payroll with benefits, it would be about $12.5 million for ongoing permanent raises.
“It is unacceptable to ask educators and school employees to do more with less. Again, without fair compensation, it becomes incredibly difficult to retain high-quality professionals,” said Thomas.
