MFP an end-run around Constitution, LFT says

(Baton Rouge – February 28, 2013) Describing today’s release of a proposed Minimum Foundation Program formula as an attempted end run around the State Constitution, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan urged lawmakers to declare it dead on arrival when the legislature convenes on April 8.

Education Dept. report sad rather than clever, LFT says

“It is universally known there are huge problems with this system, and the system is currently being tweaked,” (LFT President Steve) Monaghan said. “Nonetheless, there is still an unrelenting persistence to defend the system by any means necessary, including the use of suspect data to impugn the quality of teachers who are fed up and are voting with their feet.”

Judge agrees to hear arguments for new teacher evaluation trial

Update: The hearing for a new trial has been rescheduled and will be held on Monday, March 4, in Baton Rouge's 19th Judicial District Court.

(Baton Rouge – January 24, 2013) A Baton Rouge district judge has agreed to rehear arguments that one of Governor Bobby Jindal’s signature education acts violates a constitutional prohibition on bundling multiple objectives in one piece of legislation.

Act 1 tied virtually every aspect of a teacher’s professional life, from salaries to tenure to termination, to a new evaluation system. But it also changed several sections of law dealing with the powers of school boards and superintendents.