ICYMI: Will state freeze MFP again?

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) … Your mini news clippings

Will the State Freeze the MFP Again?

The MFP advisory committee has recommended the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) request a 1.375 percent increase in MFP funding ($35 million) for the 2017-18 school year, but Gov. John Bel Edwards is going to recommend legislators freeze basic aid to public schools for another year. Edwards might include an $18 million increase in his proposed budget for high-needs students and high school programs, but this targeted funding won’t give districts the income needed to offset the projected $38 million increase in payments to the Teacher Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL).

Teachers Retirement Systems Penalize New Teachers

new study on teacher retirement systems finds that for the majority of new teachers, what they will receive in retirement benefits will be worth less than what they contributed, even if they stay in the school system for decades. The study looks at the largest school district in each state. In 27 districts, teachers have to work 21-30 years in the system before they reach the “crossover point” where their benefits are worth more than their contributions. In 35 districts, three-fourths of teachers will leave the system before they reach the crossover point, and in 3 districts the wait is infinite – benefits will never be more than contributions. In Jefferson Parish, the crossover point is 29 years. The Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) requires a 12.3% contribution for current employees (employee + employer contribution). A large portion of this goes to fund benefits for retired teachers (the unfunded accrued liability). As mentioned above, TRSL costs are expected to go up by $38 million next year. 

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ICYMI: Update on Threat to Charter Funding

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) … Your mini news clippings

Update on Charter Funding

What a Friday! Earlier this month, the appeals court ruled that Type 2 charter schools are not public schools and cannot receive MFP funding and sent the case back to the district court.  On Friday, the district court complied with the appellate ruling and issued an injunction that immediately barred the impacted Type 2 charters from receiving funding, stopping MFP payments effective 1/25. The defendants went back to the appellate court, which Friday evening agreed to lift the injunction so these schools could keep receiving money, and their 16,000 students would not be forced to change schools mid-year. This ended the immediate threat to Type 2 charter school funding. The case is now being appealed to the state Supreme Court.

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Type 2 Charter Funding Threatened

Appeals Court says Type 2 charter schools are not public schools, jeopardizing their funding

 
In a 3-2 split decision, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Type 2 charter schools are not public schools and cannot receive MFP funds.

In 2015, the Iberville School Board and the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE) sued the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the state, arguing it was unconstitutional to include Type 2 charters – schools authorized by BESE – inside the MFP. A District Court judge ruled in favor of the charter schools, but the plaintiffs appealed.

Yesterday, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. The court’s majority opinion stated that because these schools are not under the jurisdiction of a local school board, they are not public schools and cannot receive MFP funds. The dissenting opinion argued that nowhere in the state’s constitution or statutes does it say only schools authorized by local school districts are public schools.

What does this mean for New Orleans?

This ruling, if left intact, could have a devastating impact on a number of area schools, although it’s unclear if it would affect all Type 2 charters and state-authorized schools, or just charter schools authorized after July 1, 2008.
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ICYMI: How Trump Could Change Public Schools

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) … Your mini news clippings

How Trump Could Change Public Schools

American Prospect magazine looks at how a Trump presidency could change public education. This analysis examines how the President-elect might expand school choice with charters, vouchers, and for-profit schools; decrease federal oversight and accountability; influence state and local policy in areas like Common Core; and limit funding for higher education research.

The confirmation hearing for Betsey DeVos, the President-Elect’s nominee for Secretary of Education, has been postponed until January 17. DeVos, is a billionaire and education activist who inspires strong opinion (both positive and negative) for her support of charters and vouchers and her efforts to reform Michigan public schools. In a piece for Politico, Andrew Vanacore of The Advocate explains how the New Orleans model differs from Michigan’s and could serve as a helpful guide to DeVos and the Trump administration. While her position on school choice has gotten the most attention, Andrew Rotherham maintains it’s important to know where she stands on other key issues, such as school accountability and the government’s role in enforcing civil rights in schools.
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