ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) — Before the full St. Landry Parish School Board meets and votes on Thursday, a continuation of Monday’s committee meeting will resume just before the school board meeting.

Monday’s committee meeting came in the wake of several failed tax propositions on the March ballot.

On the committee meeting’s agenda are numerous topics regarding federal COVID relief funds and the closure and/or consolidation of some schools in the parish. The committee will make its final decisions on those topics before it heads to the full board for a vote.

The first task is finding options for the COVID relief money, called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, or ESSER III funds.

“I believe they will take those dollars and be able to distribute them to those projects that have been approved,” Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said.

He told News 10 the remaining federal relief money will go towards improving school facilities specifically addressing COVID concerns

“We dedicated $15 million of ESSER III for that,” Jenkins explained.

He stressed that when it comes to the budget, it may not be what is equal but what is equitable for certain school needs.

“We want to be able to determine what the specific needs are,” Jackson said. “We have a lot of needs in the parish. We have to be good with the dollar.”

Another important discussion circulates around possible school closures and or consolidations.

Jenkins said the school board isn’t certain of what that would look like. No decisions have been made and no plans have been drawn up yet.

“We will make decisions based on what is best for the kids,” says Jenkins.

He says more data will be presented to the board before a possible vote.

“They have a lot to consider over the next few days,” Jenkins added.

The committee meeting will resume at 4:00 on Thursday, and the school board meeting begins at 6:00. The agenda for the school board meeting can be found on the St. Landry Parish School Board’s website.