BESE freezes MFP, crisis declared in school districts

With the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education bowing to Gov. Bobby Jindal's demand for a third frozen year of school funding, districts around the state may be starting to fall into crisis like a line of dominoes.

As Advocate reporter Will Sentell wrote here, BESE agreed to forgo the traditional 2.75% growth factor in the Minimum Foundation Program, which funnels most state funds to local school boards.

BESE member Walter Lee, who is also superintendent of schools in DeSoto Parish, grimly predicted, "It is really going to be difficult for school systems."

The next day, the Livingston Parish School Board declared a "financial exigency" exists in the district, as a direct result of the BESE decision.

Advocate reporter Faimon Roberts put it this way: "The unanimous vote came after Superintendent Bill Spear told the board that by removing a 'growth factor' in its funding formula, the state had cut more than $7 million from Livingston Parish schools for the next three years, including the coming school year."

Teacher and staff layoffs are predicted, and a ripple effect from the cuts is feared. Board member Buddy Mincey Jr. said that the school system has been a driving factor in Livingston Parish's growth. "Strangling" education in Livingston could jeopardize the parish's future growth.

Just over the parish line in Tangipahoa, Superintendent of Schools Mark Kolwe told his board that their system, too, is in a state of exigency, and the board declared a financial crisis.

Hammond Daily Star reporter Bridgette Bonner wrote that layoffs are under consideration there, as well as the elimination of art and music programs, employee step raises, substitute teachers and other important education programs.

And as previously reported in EdLog, Gov. Jindal is recommending even more tax breaks for big business.

Federation survey goes to Tangi board

The Tangiphoa Federation of Teachers made public the results of a teacher survey, and discipline leads the list of issues that concern educators. Advocate reporter Debra Lemoine covered the story here.

Tangi board and union find common bond: both oppose Pastorek

In the old days, they called it Bloody Tangipaho', and it was the kind of place where you didn't pick a fight lightly. Now the Tangipahoa Parish School Board is ready for a real tussle.

Board members believe this fight was picked by State Superintendent of Schools Paul Pastorek, whose legislative agenda includes term limits and loss of salaries for school board members, as well as a diminution of board authority.

And according to this article by Advocate reporter JoAnna K. Burnett, Pastorek's agenda has forged something of an alliance between the school board and Tangipahoa Federation of Teachers President Doris Flanagan.

Why is that? Part of the legislative agenda would exclude school boards from holding tenure hearings (read more about the attack on tenure rights here). To the union leader, that represents a loss of important due process rights for educators. To board members, it is an assault on their official responsibilities.

The Tangipaghoa board was the first to hit back at Pastorek's challenge. There are 69 others in the state. Together, they wield considerable political clout.

Pastorek, who has openly stated that he believes school boards are a big obstacle to school reform, is to address the Louisiana School Boards Association at their annual convention in Lake Charles on Friday. The newspapers should have an interesting story to tell.