The House votes unanimously to give K-12 teachers a 1,000 dollar pay raise, support personnel a 500 dollar pay raise, and approves 39 million dollars in new public-school funding.
Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson says the state is long overdue for an increase in education spending.
“This is the first step to get us to a level in education where we can promote economic development, attract companies here, and educate our children.”
The pay raises plus additional funding will cost the state an extra 140 million dollars a year.
The passage marks a significant victory for Governor Edwards, who made this his number one priority this legislative session, and teacher’s unions, who indicated they might strike if it didn’t pass. Denham Springs Representative Rogers Pope…
“All the school people that I have had conversations with, which is all of the organizations, this is what they want, and what we need to support.”
There was some frustration from lawmakers who attempted to pass a 1,200 dollar pay raise earlier in the session. Abita Springs Representative Scott Simon says that extra 200 adds up…
“Teachers starting out today, in 25, 30 years in the business, with the increased 200 dollars, becomes a hefty chunk of money at the end of the day in the retirement package.”
But unions opposed that effort, because it did not include the 39 million in additional funding, and may not have been a permanent raise.
