New handbook created to help determine if a parish student qualifies for special education

At Wednesday’s Evangeline Parish School Board meeting, Special Education Supervisor Kelli Lafleur shared that they have compiled a parish handbook to determine if a student qualifies for Act 833.
Lafleur said, “Act 833 is an alternative pathway for grade promotion and graduation for students with disabilities who have not passed standardized test or met local requirements for promotions.”
The handbook that Lafleur put together for the school district is for the purpose of providing guidance to counselors and Individual Education Program (IEP) teams when they determine whether a student is eligible to be a part of Act 833. This will also allow for consistency throughout the school district on how IEP teams determine whether a student qualifies or not.
According to Lafleur, there are approximately 100-150 students that they believe could possibly qualify for Act 833, which means those students may now have the opportunity to earn a diploma.
During the February 15th meeting, Chief Financial Officer Amy Lafleur also informed the board that the January 2017 sales tax collections are up $90,977.69 compared to January 2015.
She went further on to say that the district’s sales tax collections are up over all at this time by $86,803.43.
When Superintendent of Schools Darwan Lazard addressed the board during his closing comments, he took time to congratulate the Special Education Department for receiving a $155,310.00 grant.
This grant will allow their department to purchase specific items that normally the general fund would have to pay a portion for.
The superintendent also applauded Mamou High School during his comments for the College and Career Readiness Night that the principal and staff recently held for parents.
At the event, Lazard said that parents were provided with information to help them and their children decide whether they will pursue the college path or the career path.
For Lazard, the event was just “one example of the many great things going on at our campuses.”
Other items approved were:
Minutes from the February 1, 2017 meeting.
Low quote from Morpho trak in the amount of $5,445 for a live scan fingerprint station.