Sarah Gamard/Manship School News Service
The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Administration and Finance Committee Tuesday unanimously moved to recommend an additional $18 million to next year’s state education fund.
But there’s a catch.
Per Gov. John Bel Edwards’ executive budget, the $18 million is restricted to only two programs -- $8 million for what are called “high cost services,” such as students with disabilities, and $10 million to supplemental programs outside a school’s core curriculum, such as Jump Start.
The board has until March 15 to submit to the Legislature next fiscal year’s entire Minimum Foundation Program formula, the state’s way of funding public and charter schools.
After that, the Legislature can only approve or turn down the plan. No amendments or adjustments are allowed under law.
The MFP Task Force came to the meeting with its own agenda, which would have approved the $18 million without restrictions to the two programs under Edwards’ version. In the task force’s plan, the money would be granted statewide districts on the basis of total pupils rather than the number of disabled students or special programs.
“The decision to fund programs within the formula creates winners and losers,” task force member and Louisiana School Boards Association Executive Director Scott M. Richard said after the decision.
Richard said not every district in the state needs increased funding for the two programs. He called the task force’s per-pupil recommendation “equitable” because every district would receive a slight increase in funds.
But given the budget climate, Richard said, he is appreciative that the Gov. John Bel Edwards found any additional money for education.
Richard said the Louisiana Department of Education has not provided a “true” cost of educating students since 1996, when the last comprehensive study was done. “Because, I think it would prove the cost of educating students (rose) exponentially and the state is not providing a minimum level of funding.”
“There are very limited dollars,” committee member Tony Davis said in defense of the committee’s decision to side with Edwards. “If we were to go in a completely different direction, then we’d have a Legislature, a Governor and BESE all looking at three different things.”
“You don’t have much room to move without obtaining money from people who are, essentially, already getting cut,” Louisiana Department of Education Superintendent John White said during the meeting. He noted there is little room to maneuver without taking money from people already getting cut.
But White also said the current statute dictating the funding formula and formula itself need to change.
Before the committee voted, White noted that the added $18 million would be protected and recur annually.
The added $18 million for these two programs is only half of the projected increase in next year’s MFP formula. Another $18 million has been added due to statewide growth in student count.
The Educator Effectiveness Committee also met Tuesday and moved to implement a training program that essentially raises the bar for early childcare teachers at publicly funded centers.
Currently, Louisiana early childcare teachers only require a high school diploma. This new program would further their professional credentials, according to proponents.
Assistant Superintendent for Talent at Louisiana Department of Education Hannah Dietsch said the requirement will change the “babysitting” aspect of the current system by better preparing teachers for early childcare education.
The certification is somewhere between a high school diploma and an associate’s degree. This specific approach for childcare teacher certification, according to Dietsch, is the first of its kind in the country.
The committee also moved to approve a number of allocations, most of which White said are from federally funded grant programs and go toward programs, such as early childhood, redesigning struggling schools and educator preparation.