Louisiana Governor JEFF LANDRY (photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)
State lawmakers heard from school districts yesterday who are concerned about Governor Landry’s plan for a $2,000 teacher stipend. Landry proposes using $168 million originally allocated for district operations to prevent teachers from taking a pay cut. Caldwell Parish School Board president Gary Cassels told legislators he does not have the money to do it.
“I can also appreciate the fact that you intend to give the teachers this money. That’s fine, I can appreciate that. I’d love to be able to do that. And I would love to be able to intend to do that. We don’t have the money to do it,” Cassels said.
Cassels appeared before the Legislative Audit Advisory Council. Landry’s plan would result in a 5% cut for most districts.
Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau chaired Tuesday’s meeting, and he says most school districts do have the reserve funds to pay the $2,000 stipend; the legislature will likely have to assist the school systems who do not.
“See if there’s any other savings that we’ve realized in any other places; and through joint budget, we can possibly get those folks some money,” Luneau said.
Landry’s plan is just for the 2026-27 school year. He’s called for studies to determine how the state can better use its financial resources to pay teachers and at a higher salary. At Tuesday’s Legislative Audit Advisory Council meeting, Luneau asked Avoyelles School Board President Aimee Dupuy if they can handle a reduction in what is known as the MFP to make sure teachers get their $2,000 stipend.
Luneau: “Is that an issue to you, that it’s going to be an ongoing thing, or is it just the one-year consideration that’s the biggest problem?”
Dupuy: “Ongoing.”
Luneau: “Okay.”
Dupuy: “I think we’re sustainable for up to three years as looking at it, because we made a plan.”
Lawmakers have to approve the governor’s plan, and a two-thirds vote is needed. Mail-in ballots are due by 5 p.m. on June 23rd.
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