POINTE COUPEE PARISH - The Pointe Coupee Parish School Board agreed to a 9.5 mill tax to cover $1.5 million deficit that would potentially close schools this year. It will appear on voters' ballots this spring.

This comes after the Superintendent Kim Canezaro proposed several cost-saving proposals that included moving to a four-day school week and closing two schools, Upper Pointe Coupee Elementary and Rougon Elementary. Those ideas were met with strong opposition from parents, teachers and students.

Recent declining enrollment lost the school system $1.7 million it previously received from the state's Minimum Foundation Program.

The tax will show up on May election ballots.