Louisiana County Expects $4.6 Million Tab To Educate 533 Unaccompanied Minors

Published December 28, 2016

Louisiana Education Superintendent John White said Jefferson Parish expects to pay $4.6 million this school year to educate 533 immigrant children who entered the U.S. without an adult. He said the state will provide $2.2 million of that.

The New Orleans Advocate reported that White says he's also asked for cost estimates from the East Baton Rouge, Orleans, St. Tammany and Lafayette parish school systems.

White's statements were in a letter to U.S. Sen. David Vitter. The Louisiana Republican had asked whether schools can handle the 1,275 unaccompanied children who are living with sponsors in the state.

White said Jefferson Parish schools plan to hire 27 additional English as a second language teachers, 20 new ESL para-educators, 19 regular education teachers and three special education teachers.