| Louisiana Federation of Teachers

LFT & LAE launch"It's Time to Get it Right"

AUGUST 31, 2015 – BATON ROUGE, LA – The leaders of Louisiana’s two largest public education unions –the Louisiana Federation of Teachers and the Louisiana Association of Educators – today announced a joint effort to spotlight candidates who support the best interests of public education.

District 3 Member Dr. Lottie Beebe: “Louisiana cannot believe the claims that the 2012 reforms work.”

A Board of Elementary and Secondary Education member is taking issue with an editorial in The Advocate praising the state education board for the so-called reforms enacted in 2012 and pushed by Superintendent of Education John White and a majority of BESE members.

Big business to spend big money on BESE races this fall

BESE Report – August 2015

Louisiana’s big business lobby is on track to spend an unprecedented amount on races for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education this fall.

The Jefferson Parish School Board’s approval of a collective bargaining agreement with the Jefferson Federation of Teachers marks the return of teacher voice in educational decisions and a culture of collaboration, which have been rejected for the last three years by the former board.

LFT responds to the tragedy in Lafayette

Statement by LFT President Steve Monaghan

(July 24, 2015) Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the senseless, tragic shooting in Lafayette last night. It is especially poignant to learn that two of the victims are our colleagues, high school teachers who were simply taking in a movie on a Thursday night.

Governor Bobby Jindal has signed a $24.6 billion state budget that includes an additional $36 million for public education, but vetoed a 1.5% cost of living adjustment for retired teachers, school employees and other public servants.

BESE dismisses special education funding issue

BESE Report – June 2015

What should have been a bombshell announcement that the State Department of Education is underfunding some charter schools with special education students while overpaying others was virtually ignored by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Resolution by Rep. John Bel Edwards pumps money into education budget

Just as he did two years ago, Rep. John Bel Edwards (D-Amite) found a way to increase funding for schools even after public education’s Minimum Foundation Program formula had been rejected.
As the session drew to a close, the Senate finally approved Rep. Edwards’ HCR 231, which calls for an additional 1.375%, or $36 million, to be included in the budget for public education. It had been held up while waiting for the House to take a crucial vote on the controversial SAVE plan.

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