VIENNA — The Maries County R-1 School District is projected to run under a deficit during the 2026-2027 school year, according to the Superintendent Teresa Messersmith at the April 13 meeting.

But the board also approved multiple spending increases for staff and continued the Career Ladder Plan, using its reserve funding. The district’s reserve funding at 49.33 percent is around $2.67 million of the total budget of around $6.12 million.

The board approved renewing the district’s career ladder program, a state-subsidized program, which allows teachers to earn extra pay by spending extra hours to provide extra educational opportunities for the students such as tutoring. This can also include further teacher training. There are three different tiers with different qualifications.

While Messersmith declined to explain the deficit spending until after the budget is approved, but she said that there are multiple factors that make up the budget and that there might not even be a deficit.

Messersmith said that the program would cost the school district $72,000 next school year, but after doing some more calculations on April 16, she believes it will be closer to $53,000. That amount could change, based on the eligibility of newly hired teachers and those resigning. The district, which pays 40 percent of the cost (60 percent state funded), offers the program as an incentive to teachers to work for them since other neighboring districts pay more.

“I recommend that the board continue Career Ladder Program for our teachers next year, and then that is something that you can look at in the future if you don’t feel it’s (a) fiscally sound decision to do so in the future, you can make that change any time in the future,” she said.

The board also approved a $10 pay increase for substitute teachers from $105 to $115 per day. Messersmith noted that the other school districts pay more. For example, the Maries County R-2 School District (Belle) pays $135 per day, and Iberia R-V pays $130 for certified and $115 for non-certified teachers.

“We have a few subs that are here all the time for us, and so I just feel like they could drive 15 minutes somewhere else if they wanted to, and they don’t,” Messersmith said. “They choose to come here and help us, even at a lower cost. So I feel that it is important that we kind of keep in that ballpark of being fair and treating them right.”

For extra-curricular drivers such as field trips and athletic events, the board approved a $1 pay raise from $15.25 to $16.25 per hour. Messersmith recalled paying $15.25, even when the minimum wage was $12.30 in 2024. So she recommended the increase because it wouldn’t cost the district that much.

During the meeting, the board also approved its alternative method of instruction (AMI) plan for missed days of school, its Building Independence Therapy LLC agreement and the itinerary for the senior trip to Panama City Beach, Fla. The board also rehired its non-certified staff.

Kendall Costoplos also submitted her resignation as a paraprofessional but desires to remain as substitute teacher. This is so that she can focus on schooling to become a teacher.

“I have valued my time supporting these students, staff and school as a whole,” she said in her letter to the board.