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(Baton Rouge – October 25, 2017) After years of litigation, approximately 350 Filipino teachers who were held in virtual bondage in Louisiana by a placement agency are slated to receive money from a class action lawsuit against the recruiter and her company. Each teacher will receive approximately $2,200.00. “This is the bittersweet ending to a sad story of exploitation,” said Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter. “While these teachers can never be properly compensated for their suffering, we have at least validated the rule of law and sent a strong message to those who would profit from such human Read More

After hearing from teachers, principals, superintendents and local school boards, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved modest changes to the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act plan. The changes aim to ease the “sticker shock” expected to lower school letter grades when tougher standards are imposed. LFT President Larry Carter urged the board to adopt a four-point plan proposed by school superintendents, instead of the harsh BESE plan that would see many schools drop at least one letter grade. Read More

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers' 53rd Annual Convention will be held on November 18-20 at the Sheveport Convention Center in Shreveport. Read More

(September 1, 2017) An annual survey by a respected education organization shows that Americans generally favor public education, oppose over-testing of students, and don’t want public education funds spent on private and religious schools.“The Phi Delta Kappa survey tells us that most Americans are leery of what the status quo has been offering,” said Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter. “They are more interested in building a bright future for their children than in compiling test data.” Read More

Vote raises salaries after four year freeze (Covington – June 13, 2017) Teachers and school employees in St. Tammany Parish unanimously agreed Tuesday to new contract terms that will raise salaries this year and for the next two years. Read More

This is not the time to get discouraged about our profession. It’s time to organize. Read More

(New Orleans – May 22, 2017) Educators at Mary D. Coghill Charter School will move to bargain a first contract with the school administration after decisively voting to join the United Teachers of New Orleans, an affiliate of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. Read More

Thanks to a months-long campaign by Red River United, an affiliate of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, the Caddo Parish School Board on Tuesday approved a five percent pay raise for teachers and school employees. Read More

Dear Teachers, I want to send a heartfelt thank you for the hard work you do every day. Rain or shine, you all show up in more ways than one. Read More

Keep up with the action as Governor John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Legislature try to reconfigure our state’s finances in the 2017 Regular Legislative Session. Read More

New Orleans paraprofessional Yovonda Curtis received a Louisiana Federation of Teachers PSRP Scholarship at the Federation's annual Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel Conference, held on April 1 at the Baton Rouge Crowne Plaza Hotel. Read More

Coghill Charter School Teachers Unite Around Voice and Stability in the ClassroomTeachers at Mary D. Coghill Charter School in New Orleans have formed a union, with more than 93 percent of staff signing a petition asking the school board to recognize the United Teachers of New Orleans as their exclusive collective bargaining representative. Read More

Two stalwart Louisiana Federation of Teachers leaders were named to the Louisiana AFL-CIO Hall of Fame in ceremonies held at the union’s annual convention on March 20. Mike Myers of Shreveport and the late Elsie Burkhalter of Slidell were among inductees at the ceremony. Read More

(March 21, 2017) Proposed cuts to the U.S. Department of Education budget would hit Louisiana hard, costing teachers and students over $73 million, according to the Center for American Progress. Read More

Educators’ basic right to join together in a labor union affirmed New Orleans— The National Labor Relations Board has approved a settlement of a labor complaint filed against International High School of New Orleans, directing the charter school to pay two teachers fired during a union organizing drive Read More

Standarized testing season is about to begin. And as history teaches us, it is inevitable that some educators around the state (and around the country) will be accused of testing improprieties. Here is an essential guide from LFT General Counsel Larry Samuel to guard against mistakes, errors and stress during testing season. Read More

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers mourns the passing of Elsie Burkhalter, who founded the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees and served as Vice President of both the LFT and the American Federation of Teachers. Read More

(Covington – October 20, 2016) Nearly 200 teachers and school employees met Tuesday night to unanimously approve a new contract between the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees and the parish school board. Read More