(Baton Rouge – November 11, 2010) A decision by the Jindal administration to redirect $147 million in federal education funds is the latest outrageous example of failure to make reasonable, responsible choices on behalf of the people of the state, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said today.
On Thursday, district school superintendents were notified that they will not receive money allocated by the U.S. Congress in order to preserve the jobs of teachers and school employees in elementary and secondary schools. Instead, according to Jindal’s commissioner of administration, some of the money will be used to shore up funding for state colleges and universities, and some saved to plug next year’s anticipated budget hole.
“School districts around the state have based their budgets on the promise of this funding,” Monaghan said. “This action will cause real pain and loss in every school district in Louisiana.”
When Congress passed the EduJobs act, guidelines required states to spend the funds on salaries and benefits for teachers, school administrators, and other essential staff. The money was to be distributed to school districts according to the Minimum Foundation Program formula, which allocates state education funds.
“It is already shameful that we were forced to rely on Congress to save the jobs of critical teachers and school employees,” said Monaghan. “But for the governor to pull the rug out from under our schools at this late date is unbelievable."
By diverting funds dedicated to elementary and secondary education to colleges and universities, Monaghan said, the governor is unfairly pitting education communities against each other.
“The governor should be making sure that there is enough money to fund education appropriately at all levels,” Monaghan said. “Instead, he is forcing us to fight over crumbs from an ever-shrinking pie.”
Jindal’s decision, Monaghan said, is just the latest in a long line of bad choices made by the administration and the legislature.
“Because they have been irresponsible shepherds of the state’s welfare, people will suffer,” Monaghan said.
While Jindal and the legislature have adamantly refused to consider new revenue sources or rollbacks in the state’s plethora of tax breaks and loopholes, the state has edged closer to the brink of calamity.
In each of the past two years, the Jindal administration has cut the budget at mid-year. The brunt of those cuts has fallen on higher education and health care. To date, our colleges and universities have sacrificed over $300 million to the budget axe.
At the same time, funding was frozen for K-12 education. While state funding stood still, retirement and insurance costs rose significantly, along with other costs of operating schools.
On top of that, Jindal vetoed funds to pay the supplements for nationally certified educators, and cut funding for transportation of private and religious school students. Those burdens must be picked up by local school boards.
“At every opportunity, the governor has made choices that might foster his national political aspirations at the expense of the people of Louisiana,” Monaghan said. “It is past time for us to make better choices to build a better Louisiana.”