News

 

A big thank you to those who provided input on the collective bargaining survey, sent prior to the start of negotiations. Your responses were critical in directing the bargaining conversation.

 

As reported in the last update, the issues ranked in order of importance were: Evaluations, Class Size, Curriculum, Testing, Lesson Plans, Professional Development, and Duty.

 

Negotiations have been productive, with each party listening in good faith. Talks are, ongoing, therefore, it is necessary to extend the current agreement until negotiations are complete. A special session board meeting will be held on June 29, 2021 at 9am to vote on extending the collective bargaining agreement until Friday, July 30, 2021. Following that extension, we are looking forward to continuing negotiations around the priorities that have been set by you, the members of JFT.

On March 10th the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) passed their proposal for the minimum foundation program (MFP) – the funding formula for Louisiana’s K-12 schools.

 

During the meeting, the Board decided to heed the recommendation from the MFP task force: passing a proposal that calls for an $80 million dollar increase in the MFP. The task force had decided on a 1.375% increase (or $40 million) put into Level 1 of the MFP for general classroom funding and another 1.375% increase, put into level 3, for raises. That comes out to $400 increase for teachers and $200 for school employees, spread out over the entire year - a meager raise. LFT was one of only two organizations in the state to oppose this proposal, and has consistently pushed for a larger pay increase.

 

In an unprecedented turn of events, the letter that BESE sent to the legislature, which outlines their MFP proposal, made a slight, but important, deviation from the task forces' recommendation. Instead of putting $40 million into level three where it would necessarily go towards raises and and the supplementary retirement benefits, BESE directed that funding to level 4, which is the portion of the MFP that goes towards supplementary allocations for specific programs such as career training experiences, dual enrollment and enrichment courses, assistance with high cost special education services, and recruitment and employment of international associate teachers.

 

LFT has consistently called on the BESE and the legislature to match the pay increase seen in 2019: $1,000 increase for teachers and $500 for support personnel, at a minimum. This plan requires a $101 million increase to level 3 of the MFP, which is the portion of the school funding formula that provides for employee salaries.  

 

As the MFP proceeds to the legislature for approval, LFT will continue to work towards a larger raise for teachers and school employees during this 

 

 

 

So, here is the setting. A school board meeting in California is about to begin, by Zoom. Before the meeting, the school board members were talking amongst themselves. Or so they thought.

 

Turns out, the mic was on and the public was already listening in.