Last year, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers asked teachers and support staff to take a series of surveys to gauge the priorities and concerns of educators in Louisiana. The results were not surprising. Your top concerns have not changed over the past decade.
Compensation, Workload, and Discipline
LFT has been with you, bringing your issues to BESE and the legislature year after year. In the past, anti-public education agendas and political ambition have overshadowed what is needed to allow you the freedom to teach and the ability to earn enough to support your family.
In 2024, we have a new governor, a new Board of Secondary and Elementary Education, and many new legislators who say they want to allow teachers to get back to teaching and make education a profession that will attract and retain the best and the brightest. We welcome them to the fight and ask them to pass laws and policies that will truly allow you the freedom to teach and care for our students.
The governor and House and Senate leadership have decided to cut the length of the legislative session in half to hold a potentially devastating constitutional convention. This shortens the time for legislative review and public input on legislation that will affect what you are required to do, how you are required to do it, and how much you are paid.
COMPENSATION: Where is your raise??
The governor has said there is money in the budget for another $2,000 teacher and $1,000 support staff stipend, but no line item ensures the money will actually make its way to your paycheck.
“Education in Louisiana is in a state of emergency. Today I ask you to take a step towards rectifying that by keeping the promise made to educators to make this year’s stipend a permanent raise. A stipend will not give teachers any financial security, and it will only destabilize the profession further because a teacher won’t be able to predict their salary from one year to the next.” Larry Carter, LFT President
LFT was the only organization to testify before the House Appropriations Committee, reminding legislators of their promise to you and urging them to keep it.
Last month, BESE said the legislature would not provide a permanent pay raise to teachers and support staff because of the 2025 fiscal cliff; they could only propose another one-time stipend.
Despite arguments that a permanent raise is not fiscally responsible, numerous bills for education savings accounts, tutoring programs, charter expansion, and other high-dollar agenda items are making their way through the legislature.
These bills have a far higher price tag and directly compete with state general funds that would fund a permanent pay raise or even the $2,000 teacher and $1,000 support staff stipends. There is a very real possibility that you could make less next year than you did this year as these initiatives siphon off money from the pool available to fund your pay increase. Rather than offering stability, this further destabilizes the profession, leaving educators unable to predict their income from one year to the next.
Members of BESE will be discussing the MFP process at the Senate Committee on Finance on Tuesday, March 26.
The House has yet to indicate if they will use the $197 million for teacher pay or another purpose. Please look for an action alert to make sure your legislator knows you want them to keep the promise made to you!
Education Savings Accounts
This program would replace the current voucher system for low-income students in low-rated schools, opening it up for any student, regardless of parental income or whether or not the child is enrolled in a public school, and allow stipends parents could spend on tuition, tutoring, online classes and more.
The ESA program still needs a fiscal note or estimated cost. The Public Affairs Research Council, a group typically in favor of school choice, warned that this program could eventually cost $522 million a year. Other states, such as Arizona and Ohio, have passed similar programs and are now facing a budget crisis as a result.
In Georgia, and Idaho, rural conservative lawmakers voted down similar bills based on the unaccounted, ballooning cost in other states.
“It’s actually against my conservative, Republican perspective to hand this money out with no accountability that these precious tax dollars are being used wisely.” Idaho Senator Dave Lent (R)
SB 313 passed out of Senate Education, and HB 475 will be heard in House Education on Tuesday, March 26.
High Dosage Tutoring
Superintendent Brumley and the BESE board have praised teachers for Louisiana students' gains. These returns are a direct result of your daily dedication and hard work in the classroom. Tutoring certainly helps, but it does not replace an experienced, qualified educator. In fact, a recent article noted that less than 1% of students eligible participated in the program last year. The progress made by students is a result of the hard and meaningful work done by educators who are in the classroom with our students.
HCR 1 (MFP) There is money to add a $30 million block grant into the MFP for Accelerate Tutoring in math and literacy. Funding will also cover extra staff, contracted service, or online programming. Pending House Education.
HB 244 Hughes increases the amount per child from $1,000 to $1,500. It also expands the Steve Carter Literacy program to include mathematics and eligible students in grades K-12 and students eligible for literacy tutoring from K-5 to K-12. This bill passed out of House Education.
SB 288 McMath and Carver Expand high-dosage tutoring from grades 3-8 to K-12 for students who failed to achieve mastery on any statewide assessment in reading or math. Previous funding was limited to federal or COVID relief funds. SB 288 expands funding to state general funds. Tutoring occurs during the school day. Pending Senate Education.
WORKLOAD
The legislature giveth and the legislature taketh away…
Several bills have been filed to remove non-core instructional requirements and mandated teacher training. BESE will have the final authority on training and instructional requirements and the authority to add additional requirements.
Those in our schools are grateful for any attempt to lighten educators' workloads and appreciate any time given back to them. LFT will work with legislators as these bills move through the process to ensure your voice is heard.
"The reality is our schools are run on unpaid overtime.” LFT Legislative Director, Cynthia Posey
✅SB 205 Miguez which would require additional compensation for teachers who work overtime or beyond their regular duties under specific circumstances, advanced through the Senate Education Committee last week and will be heard by the Senate on Monday, March 25.
HB 115 Wyble – Removes grades K-3 instructional requirements for child assault awareness and prevention, litter prevention and awareness, mental health, water safety, internet and cell phone safety, eating disorder and awareness, substance abuse, and topics related to freedom for Celebrate Freedom Week. Pending House Education.
HB 320 Owen - Removes 15 instructional requirements, ten of which are specific to Health and/or PE instruction. Legislation removes 10-12 hours of in-service training. It also gives BESE the power to mandate additions to the curriculum or training without removing existing instructional and training requirements. Passed out of House Education last week.
HB 267 Carver – Requires teachers to complete training to become numeracy screeners and to administer numeracy screenings three times a year. Passed out of House Education last week.
HB 647 Romero— Cannot increase the instructional burden on teachers related to content, topics, or methods that are not in the state content standards adopted by BESE or the Carnegie units established by LDOE. Any additional instructional content will become effective only if first approved by BESE or if the burden of the requirement is offset by the elimination of another instructional requirement with an equivalent burden on teachers. Will be heard in House Education on Wednesday, March 27.
SB 336 Pressley – Requires Kindergarten teachers to receive training for computer-based dyslexia screening. Pending Senate Education.
SB 346 Barrow – Adds several curriculum requirements removed by HB 320 back into statute. Pending Senate Education.
DISCIPLINE: The Right to Teach Free from Distraction
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76% of teachers and staff agreed that student behavior was a problem in their school.
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81% of teachers reported that more than 10% of instructional time was lost addressing student behavior.
“It is not fair to the students who are wanting to learn nor is it fair to the teachers who would like to actually teach to spend all their attention on the students who are so disruptive to the classroom environment.” Louisiana Classroom Teacher
HB 322 Stagni was filed in response to the frustration of educators who are disheartened with having their efforts to provide a quality learning environment for all students hindered because the current law is not followed or they are discouraged from taking disciplinary action to correct a student who violates school rules or interferes with an orderly education.
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The legislation requires that a student be removed from the classroom when he or she prevents the orderly instruction of other students or poses an immediate threat to the safety or physical well-being of any student or teacher.
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If the student is removed from the same classroom three times, a conference between the teacher, administrator, and the parent or guardian shall be required before the student is readmitted to that classroom. Parental support is essential to a quality education and the management of behavior issues.
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The legislation also prevents teachers from unfair retaliation when exercising the rights granted in the Teacher Bill of Rights, which is intended to provide an environment conducive to learning and effective instruction for all students.
This bill has yet to be scheduled in House Ed. LFT is concerned that due to the shortened legislative session, it will not make it through the legislative process in time. Please be on the lookout for an action alert to tell your legislator that this bill is important to you!
School Support Staff
SB 213 Jenkins provides for secure and adequate time to heal from injury for support personnel injured while helping students. This ensures that school staff injured while assisting students in preventing danger or injury have enough time to recover properly. Currently, teachers receive a full year to recover while support staff only receives 90 days. It has not been scheduled in Senate Education.
What can you do?
- Now is the time to stay vigilant! In the coming weeks, we will ask you to take multiple actions on the issues you told us are most important to you: a fair workload, a permanent pay raise, and discipline and safety.
- ACT NOW: On Monday, March 25, the Senate will hear a critical bill that protects teacher’s rights to a fair workload and overtime compensation.
WATCHING: Anti-Labor Bills
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Serious anti-union bills (dues deduction, recertification, reauthorization, release time, collective bargaining, Right to Work, limiting access to information) have already been filed for this session. We will keep you informed as we know more.
The Week Ahead
Monday March 25, 3:00 PM
Senate Chamber: ✅SB 205 (MIGUEZ) Provides additional compensation for teachers who work overtime or beyond their regular duties under specific circumstances, as well as compensates for planning time
Tuesday Mar 26
10:00 AM Senate Committee on Finance: Introduction of BESE Members and related discussion on the MFP process
9:00 AM House Education Committee:
- HB 143 (BACALA) Authorizes the state superintendent to hire a chief operating officer to make recommendations relative to the financial practices of local school systems failing to comply with the MFP's minimum instructional expenditure requirement
- HB 153 (BACALA) Provides relative to special education
- HB 190 (FREIBERG) Provides relative to the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission
- HB 551 (BRASS) Revises the membership and duties of the Dual Enrollment Framework Task Force
- HB 745 (EMERSON) Creates and provides for the LA GATOR Scholarship Program, a universal school choice program
Wednesday Mar 27, 9:00 AM
House Education Committee:
- HB 46 (EDMONSTON) Provides that no person shall be required to receive a COVID-19
- vaccine as a condition of enrollment or attendance at any public or nonpublic school
- HB 47 (EDMONSTON) Requires that communication issued about immunization
- requirements include exemption information and applies exemptions not only to students seeking to enter school but also to students attending school
- HB 264 (HUGHES) Adds computer science as a high school graduation requirement and requires teacher preparation programs to include computer science education
- HB 456 (DAVIS) Provides relative to the administration of medication at school
- HB 600 (CARPENTER) Provides relative to sick leave banks for teachers, bus operators, and other school employees
- HB 647 (ROMERO) Provides relative to student instruction requirements
- HB 728 (DAVIS) Provides relative to initial eligibility requirements for the M.J. Foster Promise Program