NEW ORLEANS
Providing security for state-run schools in New Orleans has been expensive.
The Guidry Group, a Texas firm hired to provide security at Louisiana Recovery District schools in New Orleans, will earn nearly $20 million for services provided during the just-completed school year. Those services included providing security at 22 operating schools, protecting vacant schools from looters and keeping watch over the contractors renovating buildings, among other things.
Guidry’s contract expires this month. New Recovery School District Superintendent Paul Vallas said Friday that he will recommend that state officials extend the contract through July so the district can run a summer school program at a dozen sites. Vallas also will suggest offering Guidry a one-year contract starting Aug. 1, with a district security and safety chief to manage the firm and reduce costs.
The company, which hasn’t officially been offered the contract yet, has been responsive in crisis situations and has institutional knowledge of the school system, Vallas said.
“That said and done, clearly, more money was spent on Guidry than probably should have been spent had the proper controls been in place,” he said. “I’m not indicting anybody, but that’s the way it is.”
Guidry was hired on an emergency contract before the start of the 2006-07 school year because a local company was doing a poor job of providing security, officials said.
