School district expects to get $48 million in grant money

The Vermilion Parish School System finished the year in decent financial shape. The school system is about to be in better financial shape in 2022 thanks to the Federal Government handing out $2.6 billion to the Louisiana school systems Coronovirus Aid Relief.
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) was established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March of 2020.
The Vermilion Parish School system has slowly been getting ESSER Funds. Last school year, the Vermilion Parish school district received around $10 million.
In 2022, accountant Rob Carter of Kolder, Slaven and Co. gave an updated audit report to the school board members at last week’s meeting.
The report projected the Vermilion Parish School system to receive around $35 million in ESSER funds.
That money, coupled with the grant money the school board typically gets a year ($13 million), brings the total to $48.2 million that the school district is expected to receive.
The ESSER money can be spent in various ways, such as purchasing equipment for summer learning and after-school programs. Or hiring extra help to help teach students after school or for distance learning.
Another possibility could be to improve facilities to help with distance learning or reduce the risk of COVID.
The government would also allow school systems to improve air conditioning systems to improve ventilation.
It can not be used for employee pay raises.
The Vermilion Parish School Board did not address the spending of the $48 million of ESSER money.

Overall, finances are good for the school system.

The good news is that the school board brought in $113 million in revenue and spent around $113 million. So bottom line, it was a break-even year.
Carter presented the board with pie charts showing the school board’s expenses and revenues.
The pie chart for revenues shows an increase of $13 million over the last three years.
In 2019 and 2020, the school board’s revenue was around $99 million. However, it jumped to $113 million in 2021.
The reason for the $13 million increase was a combination of two things. The most significant increase was $10 million from ESSER funds. Each school district received millions to help with COVID-19 relief.
The second-biggest increase was in sales tax collections. The school board collected close to $2 million more in sales tax revenue than in 2020.
With more money coming in, the school board spent more money.
The school board spends most of its money on salaries and benefits. The school board spends 75 percent of its budget on wages and benefits.
Last year, that equaled $79 million out of the $113 million. That figure has remained the same for the previous two years.
This year the school board had to spend $10 million it did not expect to pay. The school board spent $10 million in hurricane repair on wind-rain-damaged schools.
Another increase in spending was for materials and supplies. The school system spent $5.2 million, which is $2 million more than it did two years ago.