There is still time to pay our teachers 

Louisiana’s public school teachers went above and beyond to help their students recover from the pandemic. Their hard work is the reason Louisiana led the nation in academic improvement, and is the only state where average student performance in math and reading is above pre-pandemic levels. 

Louisiana should be rewarding teachers’ achievements, but the state Legislature is going in the opposite direction. Lawmakers are forcing teachers to take a $2,000 pay cut because voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment (Amendment 3) on May 16. The measure aimed to eliminate three constitutionally protected education trust funds to finance a modest pay raise for teachers. 

The raise would have replaced the annual $2,000 teacher stipends (and $1,000 stipends for school support workers) that have been included in the budget since 2023 but are not funded in next year’s budget. This was the second year in a row that voters rejected this type of accounting gimmick. Teachers have gone four straight years without receiving a permanent pay raise. And unless state lawmakers act before June 1, teachers will have their pay cut. 

Legislators can avoid a teacher pay cut by using money from a state savings account – the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund. The Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund is a new state savings account established 10 years ago in the state constitution. Money in the account comes from oil, gas and corporate tax revenue, and requires a two-thirds supermajority vote to be spent. There is currently $2.4 billion in the account. 

Last week the Senate Finance Committee tapped the account for $800 million, proposing to spend the money on construction projects around the state, giveaways to corporations, and earmarks for projects in legislators’ districts. But nothing for teachers. 

Louisiana’s teachers are among the lowest-paid in the country, yet are producing some of the best results for students. The average Louisiana teacher is paid nearly $6,000 per year below the Southern average, and almost $18,000 below the national average.  

Renewing the stipends would only be a stopgap solution until a permanent raise can be negotiated next year. 

If the state can prioritize corporate giveaways and district earmarks, it can afford to make sure teachers and support workers aren’t forced to take a pay cut in a troubled economy where prices continue to rise.