Jeff Davis Parish school employees can look forward to a one-time stipend of $2,000 and $1,000.

The school board’s Finance and Salary Committee approved a recommendation Tuesday from Finance Director Christin LeGros to issue the one-time, state mandated, special appropriation to the district’s 800-plus certified and support staff.

“Our parish employees have been waiting for this state stipend since the spring, as our legislators debated how to disseminate the funds,” Superintendent John Hall said. “We plan to disperse the stipend on Nov. 17, which has been a traditional date that we have given stipends in the past. Our employees always appreciate extra income before the holidays.”

The stipend will be paid to all permanent employees that are active, as of close of business on Nov. 1, according to LeGros.

Full-time certified personnel, including teachers, counselors, assistant principals and other school and central office administrators, will receive a gross supplement of $2,000. Part-time certified personnel will receive one-half of the full-time distribution.

Full-time support staff and non-certificated personnel, including secretaries, custodians, bus drivers and cafeteria workers, will receive a gross supplement of $1,000. Part-time support staff will receive one-half of the full-time distribution.

The total cost of the stipends will be about $1.6 million, which will be paid using the special appropriation funds from the state in the amount of $1.5 million. The remaining balance of just under $60,000 will be covered by the school district’s general fund, according to LeGros.

Funding from the state did not include pre-kindergarten employees, which will require the school board to use the general fund to pay stipends to those employees, LeGros said.

Funding for the one-time stipend was approved by state legislators and signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards during the last legislative session.

The stipend is the second to be issued to employees this year.

In August, the school board agreed to use $1.4 million in Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to give teachers and other certified employees a one-time pay supplement in September. The supplements included $1,500 for teachers and other certified employees and a $1,000 supplement to all other employees.