BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry and Senate President Cameron Henry on Tuesday announced the formation of a task force whose goal is to find funding for a statewide teacher pay raise within the $13 billion of local, state and federal money allocated to education in Louisiana. 

The announcement comes after an amendment to reallocate money from education funds and give teachers a permanent pay increase failed to garner support from voters. 

WATCH THE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE:

According to Landry, the state had 870,000 public school students in 1988 and spent $9,400, adjusted for inflation, on education per student.

Today, the governor said, Louisiana has 760,000 public school students but spends $16,000 per student, and teachers make less than they did nearly 40 years ago when adjusted for inflation. 

Landry questioned how state school boards have been spending the money allocated to them.

"We got Grade A football fields, okay? And we're rotting in the classroom," Landry said. 

Cameron said the 15-member MFP (Minimum Foundation Program) Pay Raise Task Force, which will be "as diverse as the legislature," will look for ways to streamline the state's education spending and free up funding for a teacher pay raise.

Landry said only the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education can change its spending formula. The new committee will hear testimony and make recommendations to BESE, which will propose changes to the state legislature. The state can approve, reject, or make further suggestions, but cannot directly amend such a proposal. 

Cameron added that a similar task force will be formed for the state's higher education facilities as well.

The committee's deadline to come up with a recommended plan is Dec. 31, so it can be proposed in the next legislative session. Landry said the state constitution does not allow for a change until then, and he hopes the 2026-27 school year will be the last without a permanent teacher pay raise.