WEEK 4: The MFP in Senate Ed.
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE VOTED 'YES'
On Thursday morning, the Senate Committee on Education voted to approve the MFP that was unanimously approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) in March. This is the same MFP that the House Education Committee rejected on April 16th: it includes $101 million for raises for teachers and support staff as well as $39 million for local school districts. The resolution was passed out of committee with nearly unanimously support (6 'yes' to 1 'no'), with Senator Conrad Appel as the lone 'no' vote on the committee.
BESE President Gary Jones testified in support of the MFP resolution at the Committee Hearing, as did LFT President Larry Carter and other members of the Louisiana Public Schools Coalition. “Teachers and students can’t live up to their full potential if their schools are struggling; they need you to invest in their education and their future,” said Mr. Carter.
If it seems like this process has been a little extra confusing: you're right. This year, there are two bills in the legislature to approve BESE's MFP formula; one in the house (HCR 1) and one in the senate (SCR 3). In April, the House Education Committee considered HCR 1 and rejected it: they decided to ask BESE to remove $39 million in funding for school districts. Today, the Senate Education committee considered the same MFP, but in the form of a Senate resolution (SCR 3), and they approved it! So, now a few things happen:
- BESE plans to meet on Tuesday, May 7th to consider the House Education Committee's request that they cut the MFP. If they do choose to alter the funding plan, then the Senate's MFP resolution can not continue as it is, it will need to reflect BESE's changes.
- If BESE chooses not to change the MFP, then the Senate MFP resolution can continue through the process of being approved, which includes passage in the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate floor, the House Appropriations Committee and then, finally, the House floor.
- Additionally, if BESE does not alter the MFP, then the House Education committee could choose to re-vote on it and pass it out of their committee; in which case it would need to go through a similar process to that of SCR 3 before it is final.
Either way, it is crucial that BESE doesn't cut funding from the MFP.
Please click here to ask BESE to stand firm in support of their original MFP proposal.
THE BUDGET
This year, the state of Louisiana finally has as surplus and experts expect increased revenue in coming years. This is a huge opportunity to finally invest in vital programs across the state -- like public education and teacher pay raises -- but even though we are nearly halfway through the 9-week legislative session, the House Appropriations committee has yet to approve a budget. This delay threatens to hold up important legislation. Just this week, the Senate Finance Committee considered Senate Bill 6, which would make it possible for teachers and classroom aids to deduct up to $250 worth of classroom supplies each year. This is a simply, common sense tax credit with wide-spread support, but it will continue to be held up until Chairman Henry and the House Appropriations Committee finalizes a budget.
RETIREMENT
On Thursday, the House Retirement Committee rejected House Bill 19. LFT's Legislative and Political Director Cynthia Posey testified in support of the bill. "It gives an inaccurate portrayal of how much we pay per student in the MFP...I think this would go a long way in helping with transparency because we would really see where the money goes," Ms. Posey said in the hearing. Unfortunately, the committee's decision means that this process will remain murky: the Initial Unfunded Accrued Liability owed to TSRL by the state of Louisiana will continue to be paid off in a roundabout way by putting the money into the per pupil amount in Level 1 of the MFP. Through this process, traditional school districts forward money from the MFP to TRSL. However some schools do not pay into TSRL (generally, charter schools), so they just get to keep that money.
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