District overview
Morehouse Parish School District
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How Morehouse Parish schools are paid for and who decides
Morehouse Parish School District runs public schools in and around Bastrop in northeast Louisiana, plus Beekman Charter School. Most of its general fund comes from the state's Minimum Foundation Program (MFP), the formula Louisiana uses to pay for schools based mainly on enrollment. Local sales taxes and property taxes pay for the rest. A seven-member board, elected from seven districts, meets monthly; Dr. Jesse Winston, Jr. is superintendent.
State money fell
General fund state revenue was $13.3 million in 2025-26, down from $16.3 million budgeted the year before.
Started the year below zero
The general fund began 2025-26 at -$604,207 and was budgeted to end near $38,000, using $6.3 million in other funding sources.
Bond failed in June 2026
Voters rejected a $37.19 million building bond; the district plans to try again in April 2027.
State-recommended operator
Third Future Schools began managing Morehouse Elementary in 2026-27 under a state and Recovery School District recommendation.
Several minutes are marked draft, and the detailed 2026-27 budget tables are not posted, so newer figures may differ. The district also reports rising state recognition: it was named one of Louisiana's top 5 growing school systems in 2025.
Where the district stands
Calculation: $45,489,664 / 2,931 students. Different years; context only.
Major projects
Capital Improvement Plan and school bond
bond failed; new vote planned April 2027Plan for a new PreK-5 school, turning Delta Elementary into a grades 6-8 middle school, turning Morehouse Elementary into an alternative school and career center, foundation repairs at Bastrop High, Morehouse Elementary and Morehouse Magnet, and security upgrades. Voters rejected the bond.
- Finance committee discusses a bond
- Board adopts plan and calls election
- Community town halls begin
- Voters reject $37.19M bond
- Results certified; April 2027 retry announced
Funding
General obligation bonds (voter approval needed)
Third Future Schools management of Morehouse Elementary
in place for 2026-27State and Recovery School District recommended an outside operator for Morehouse Elementary; the board approved a management agreement of at least three years.
- Board approves 7-0
- MES-Third Future calendars shared
- Tour of Morehouse Elementary
Funding
Not stated in posted records
Winter Storm Fern repairs
repairs under emergency declarations; FEMA claimRoof and gutter damage at Bastrop High, Morehouse Elementary, Delta Elementary and Morehouse Magnet. A separate $344,250 Morehouse Elementary reroof was awarded in January 2026.
- MES reroof bid accepted
- Emergency repair bid
- FEMA consultant hired
- Emergency for roof repairs at four schools
Funding
Insurance and FEMA Public Assistance
Income from school (Section 16) land
new leases from 2027The board sold carbon credits through NativState ($85,493 in January and $32,250 in May 2026), adopted a forest management plan, and accepted five-year farm leases of about $83,150 and $96,251 a year starting January 2027.
- $85,493 carbon-credit payment
- Farm leases re-advertised at higher minimums
- Farm leases and forest plan approved
Funding
Timber carbon credits and land leases
Recent news
Board and Finance & Advisory Committee agendas and minutes from www.mpsb.us/agendasandminutes (Nov. 4, 2025 through the Oct. 27, 2026 committee agenda), plus the 2025-26 budget, 2026-27 budget resolution, policies and plans posted on the district site. Most files are scans read with OCR.
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