Governor Landry’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year includes $198 million for a second round of stipends for teachers, but no permanent salary increase. Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey says educators thought the stipend pay hike would last just one year.
“Legislators assured us that this session that they would make that right. So they actually are very disappointed and very concerned that the promise made to them last session is not going to be kept.”
Lawmakers elected to give the same stipend amount of $2000 for teachers, and $1000 for support workers. Landry proposal would allocate alternating stipends based on teachers performance levels.
Posey says the pay gap plays a role in the state’s shortage of qualified educators. And teachers are not only leaving the classrooms, but they’re also leaving the state.
“I heard there’s a group of teachers that pulled they’re resources, got a mini van and from Calcasieu Parish they’re driving in a group everyday to go teach in Texas.”
The average teacher salary for the 2021-2022 school year was $54,907, compared to Texas at $58,887, according to the Southern Region Education Board.
Posey says BESE is expected to take up the teacher compensation for a vote in early March. She believes lawmakers making the modest size pay raise permanent for teachers in the Bayou State would be…
“Sending a message to the teachers and support staff here in Louisiana and the children and parents that hey we support public education. This is a priority. I think that needs to be the first step.”
Governor Landry decided not to make teachers pay raise permanent because it would be illegal to remove in the future.
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