It’s back to the drawing board for teachers looking for their annual stipend to become a permanent pay raise. This, after voters reject another plan concocted by state lawmakers to accomplish that goal – this one involving the abolishment of three large education trust funds to use those revenues to pay down teacher retirement debt. Larry Carter, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers and School Employees, says it’s now up to lawmakers to once again come up with a plan “B.”
“Is there a willingness by, not just the governor, but by the legislature, to find money within the governor’s budget to be able to either maintain the stipend or create a permanent pay?” Carter asked.
Carter says while it’s been going on for years, the fight for teacher pay is now entering a new phase.
“We’re going to try our very best to lobby legislators to see if we can fight for a line item in the governor’s budget to at least maintain the stipend; but also procuring funds to be used for a permanent pay for teachers and school employees,” Carter said.
Carter says with the state experiencing momentum in terms of student achievement, it is more important than ever to pay teachers competitive salaries.
“If we want to maintain keeping quality teachers in front of students, we’ve got to be competitive with other states. Within part of the southern region, we’re probably somewhere between $2,500 to $3,500 less,” Carter explained.