House Republicans approve a budget for next fiscal year that does not contain funding for a two-thousand dollar teacher pay raise. Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue, a Republican from Houma, said their funding plan calls for the paying down of debt of the state retirement system, which would free up dollars for local school systems to give out the raise.
“Over the next two years $258 million will be provided relief for the school system that can be used for teacher pay raises, can be used for institutions.”
But Democrats are skeptical of the plan. Zeringue said lower retirement debt should result in higher pay for working teachers, “If I were them I’d much prefer getting something than nothing and this provides something,“ but Shreveport Representative Tammy Phelps said teachers would rather see the state’s budget fund a teacher pay raise, “that’s what their concern is they’re not thinking like you’d have wanted this way.”
Bossier City Representative Raymond Crews made the argument that paying down teacher retirement debt would help local school systems give teachers an appropriate raise.
“We did call several school systems to ask what the impact would be from going from 24.1% to 20% employer contribution and that in a couple of districts was enough to fund a teacher pay raise near $2,700 and $1,350 for staff.”
Governor Edwards and Democratic lawmakers also believe The House’s proposed budget does not contain enough money for higher education and early childhood education. The Senate will now comb through the budget, and they could offer a different solution to funding teacher pay raises.
Comments