Odds of teacher raises fade as Louisiana voters reject amendments

Published: May 19, 2026

By: Gracie Thomas and Avery White, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE — After 58% of voters rejected a constitutional amendment Saturday that would have given public school teachers a permanent pay raise, the chances of finding money for any types of raises have dimmed, lawmakers say.

Voters also shot down four other constitutional amendments proposed by Gov. Jeff Landry and the Legislature.

Constitutional Amendment No. 3 sought to fund a $2,250 teacher pay raise and a $1,125 support staff pay raise by dissolving three education trust funds, using that money to pay down the debt of the Teachers’ Retirement System. Those savings would have been allocated for the pay increase.

Teachers had hoped that the Legislature, which is in session through June 1, might find some money for a raise if the amendment failed. But given a recent drop in projected state tax revenues, lawmakers say voters probably had the final say on the matter.

“If the people of Louisiana vote not to give teachers a pay raise, then the Legislature can’t come behind them and say ‘Oh, then we’ll do it,’” Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said last week.