Louisiana lawmakers advanced two measures Tuesday that would in later years, despite some concerns from teachers union leaders — including about a potential pay cut for teachers this coming school year.
The bills would eliminate three constitutionally protected education trust funds, use the money to pay off retirement debt and put the savings toward higher salaries for teachers and school support staff. The House Appropriations Committee voted in favor of both bills, which repackage part of a constitutional amendment that voters rejected this year.
If the Legislature passes the bills, . That vote would likely not happen until April 2026, lawmakers say, leaving at least one school year where teachers and staff could see their current pay decrease.
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During the committee meeting, the president of the state’s largest teachers union told representatives that he could not support the bills in their current form because they do not guarantee that all eligible educators would receive the pay increases.
Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter also expressed worry that the raises would not be included in the state’s school-funding formula, which would prevent the money from being reallocated for other uses in the future.
“We cannot rely on good intentions alone when it comes to educator paychecks,” he said. “We support the spirit of both bills, we really do, but we want to get some guarantees.”
Carter raised similar concerns about the teacher-pay portion of Amendment 2, which voters shot down in the March 29 election. The union ultimately backed the amendment after working with lawmakers on revisions — something it might try to do again with the new bills.
On Tuesday, Appropriations Committee chair Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, said he disagreed with Carter that the wording of one bill could leave out some eligible educators. He pointed to a line in the proposal that states each public school system “shall” provide a permanent salary increase.
“It doesn’t give an option to the public school system” on what to do with the funds, he said.
House Bill 579, by Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, eliminates three education trust funds in order to pay off debts related to the state’s teachers retirement system, for which individual school districts pay interest. House Bill 466 by Rep. Josh Carlson, R-Lafayette, requires school systems to give teachers raises using the debt-payment savings.
Carter, however, pointed out that educators would technically not receive raises if the bills pass. Instead, the resulting constitutional amendment would make the one-time stipends that educators have received the past two years — $2,000 for teachers and $1,000 for support staff — a recurring part of their annual salaries.
Emerson noted that Carlson’s bill requires the state to step in to subsidize any school districts that are unable to cover the cost of the raises through their savings alone. She also said Tuesday that the state will pay for raises for educators and support staff who work in charter schools, many of which don’t pay into the state’s teachers retirement system. The bill does not mention charter schools that don’t pay into the retirement system, but Emerson said their educators will also get raises.
Emerson estimated that the cost to the state to pay for charter raises would likely be between $15-20 million.
Carter said it’s unacceptable that, even if the amendment to raise teacher pay in the future is approved, teachers could lose their stipends next school year.
“Our educators deserve a genuine increase that acknowledges their contributions and the rising costs of living in this country,” he told the committee.
Rep.Jason DeWitt, R-Tioga, told Carter that if the bills advance, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers must do more to inform its members of their intent.
He said he fielded “a lot of phone calls” ahead of the March vote from constituents who didn’t understand what Amendment 2 would do, noting that many were under the impression that the money for the raises would come from teachers’ retirement funds, which is not the case.
“We need to do a better job next time of selling this with your group,” DeWitt said.
Carter said his organization had done its best to let its members know the union supported the amendment.
He also urged lawmakers to consider additional ways to raise teacher pay.
“The choice before this committee is to extend beyond simply preventing a pay reduction,” he said. “It’s about whether Louisiana will continue to allow its educators’ compensation to stagnate while celebrating the remarkable academic progress they’ve helped our students achieve.”
Both bills now head to the House floor for debate.