The Senate Finance Committee has restored $30 million in high-dose tutoring for K-12 students in the proposed budget for next fiscal year. Senate President Cameron Henry said Senate Finance was able to add the money because the Revenue Estimating Conference has recognized an additional $60 million in state general funds that can be spent next fiscal year. Henry said the high-dose tutoring program is showing results.
“The program where the tutoring is done at the child’s school, so it’s a lot more effective and we have a much higher utilization rate,” said Henry.
The budget heading to the Senate floor also includes the $199 million for teacher stipends which means teachers will not receive a drop in pay.
The Senate Finance Chairman has reduced the amount of funding for the state’s new voucher program, LA Gator. Governor Jeff Landry had sought $93.5 million for LA Gator, but Senate Finance decided to dedicate only $43 million. Henry said most of the students who are applying for LA Gator already attend a private or parochial school.
“So in essence we would be paying for a kid to go to a school he currently goes to,” said Henry. “That wasn’t how it was originally sold to the legislature or to the people outside the legislature that support this.”
LA Gator in its initial stages is supposed to help those students at a struggling public school attend a private school.
Senate Finance Chairman Greg Womack went over the amendments during a committee hearing yesterday, and they include money to transfer UNO from the UL System to the LSU System and an increase in dollars for sheriffs to house state inmates.
“We provided for payment of our obligation to pay off debt at UNO, per diem rate increase to sheriff local housing. Those are some amendments from the Senate that’s offered up,” said Womack.
The legislative session must conclude June 12th.
