School & District Management

Louisiana School Boards Resist Push to Trim Powers

By Erik W. Robelen — March 26, 2009 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Louisiana state Superintendent Paul G. Pastorek continues to draw fire from local school board members for his efforts to limit their authority, tenure, and compensation.

The plan “attacks the basis of local control by local school boards,” the Louisiana Association of School Boards bluntly declared in a resolution passed at its annual convention in early March.

Some local boards have passed similar resolutions in opposition to the plan, which includes a measure to block local boards from intervening in decisions to hire and fire school personnel.

But Mr. Pastorek is hoping the legislature will take up the hiring authority measure and other proposed changes to state law governing school boards during its regular session, which begins in late April.

“It’s an old form of patronage that extends from the Huey Long era, and it’s time to let it go,” Mr. Pastorek said in an interview, alluding to the state’s powerful—and controversial—Depression-era governor and U.S. senator.

Mr. Pastorek’s plan, which included draft legislative language, failed to gain traction with the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education at a March 11 meeting. The state body declined to endorse it and instead called for a task force to study the matter.

But this week, Rep. Stephen F. Carter, a Republican from Baton Rouge who serves on the House education committee, unveiled his own legislative plan for school boards. Although crafted separately from the state superintendent’s effort, it echoes some of the same ideas.

“Too many boards are getting too involved in the day-to-day operations” of schools, Rep. Carter said in an interview. He argued that this hinders the ability of local superintendents to do their job effectively.

Advocacy Group Input

Mr. Carter’s proposals were developed in consultation with the Council for a Better Louisiana and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, two prominent state advocacy groups.

Rep. Carter’s plan would make it illegal for an individual board member or group of board members to interfere with district personnel decisions by the local superintendent, such as hiring, firing, or transfers. It also would clarify state law to better prevent nepotism by school board members in hiring, and require a supermajority of the board to hire or remove a superintendent.

In addition, the bill would impose limits of three consecutive terms on board members; limit pay for board members by allowing only a per diem for meetings attended, up to a maximum of $200 per month; and end board members’ eligibility for district health-insurance benefits.

The state superintendent said he’s supportive of Mr. Carter’s proposals, even as they address a narrower set of issues than his own proposal and vary somewhat in the details.

Despite the setback with the state board, Mr. Pastorek said he will keep promoting the school board reforms.

“I’m going to be loud and proud,” he said. “It’s absolutely necessary that this be done.”

Mr. Pastorek argued that the two most important ingredients in Mr. Carter’s plan are the measures to prevent interference by school boards in hiring decisions and to limit members’ tenure.

“We need new blood on our school boards in Louisiana,” Mr. Pastorek said. “We have some members who have been sitting for 30 years.”

But Nolton J. Senegal, the executive director of the Louisiana Association of School Boards, said term limits should be a local issue.

“It shouldn’t be a directive that comes from Paul Pastorek’s office that in his infinite wisdom, we should have limits on school boards,” he said. “In addition to that, a lot of the [board] members are saying if their constituents who have voted them into office decide they haven’t done a good job, they can vote them out of office. That’s a term limit in itself.”

Mr. Carter concedes that the changes he envisions for school boards are controversial, but said he’s working hard to get his fellow lawmakers on board.

“A lot of legislators are very interested in this,” he said.

A version of this article appeared in the April 01, 2009 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Q&A ‘A Nice and Gentle Disrupter’: Meet the New Principals of the Year
The award went to middle school principal Damon Lewis and high school principal Tony Cattani.
11 min read
Damon Lewis, the principal of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, and Tony Cattani, the principal of Lenape High School, receive their awards at the annual National Association of Secondary School Principals Illuminate Principal of the Year Celebration in Seattle.
From left, Damon Lewis, the principal of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, and Tony Cattani, the principal of Lenape High School, receive their awards at the National Association of Secondary School Principals conference in Seattle. They were both named the 2025-26 National Principal of the Year.
Courtesy of Allyssa Hynes/National Association of Secondary School Principals
School & District Management Opinion Kindergartners Are Struggling With Self-Regulation. How Principals Can Respond
This school leader recommends three actionable steps.
Ian Knox
4 min read
Addressing difficulties and equipping students, staff, and faculty with the tools they need to thrive.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion The Stunning Resignation of UVA President Jim Ryan—and Why It Matters
The university president’s departure is more than just a headline. It’s a lesson in leadership.
2 min read
Opinion Licensed Not for Reuse Wait What FCG
Canva
School & District Management In Their Own Words This Custodian Got Students to Stop Vandalizing and Take Pride in Their School
Andy Markus, the 2025 Education Support Professional of the Year, helped boost behavior and engagement in his Utah district.
5 min read
Andy Markus, the head custodian at Draper Park Middle School, in Draper, Utah, sits for a portrait during the National Education Association's 2025 Representative Assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 3, 2025. Markus was named the 2025 NEA Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year.
Andy Markus, the head custodian at Draper Park Middle School, in Draper, Utah, sits for a portrait during the National Education Association's 2025 representative assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 3, 2025. Markus was named the 2025 NEA Education Support Professional of the Year for his mentorship of students.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week