Lawmakers question ability to sustain $3,000 raises for Louisiana teachers

Published: April 13, 2023

By: Molly Ryan, LSU Manship News Service

Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville. speaks at the Wednesday, April 12, 2023, meeting of the Louisiana House Committee on Appropriations. (Francis Dinh/LSU Manship School News Service)

Conservative Louisiana lawmakers’ concerns about spending some of the state’s surplus on teacher pay raises are already stirring up controversy this session.

Education State Superintendent Cade Brumley told the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday that the department’s budget proposal would give an initial $2,000 pay raise to teachers and $1,000 to support workers as outlined in Gov. John Bel Edwards’ budget.

Edwards wants all K-12 teachers to receive an additional $1,000, bringing the total to $3,000, if state revenue projections increase in May.

If that additional revenue becomes available, the Education Department’s proposal, however, calls for putting it into a pool that could be divided differently among teachers. Brumley suggested that teachers in hard-to-fill positions like special education, math and science might receive anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 on top of the basic $2,000 raise.