States

State of the States 2009: Louisiana

By Erik W. Robelen — May 11, 2009 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Louisiana

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) • April 27

The state’s first-term Republican governor delivered a sobering message in his annual address to the state legislature, warning lawmakers repeatedly that the tough economic times will force the state to “do more with less.” And that “less” apparently includes lower spending on both K-12 and higher education, based on the budget proposal he recently put forward.

Also in the speech, Gov. Jindal called for new accountability and transparency requirements to better monitor the spending of certain state aid that school districts receive and to ensure that money reaches the intended student populations.

“There are no easy fixes,” Gov. Jindal said in his address in Baton Rouge, as the legislature began its regular session. “We can’t tax, borrow, spend our way out of this,” he said of the economic situation. “We’re going to have to work hard together to do more with less.”

State of States

For complete coverage of the governors’ addresses, see 2009 State of the States.

His proposed $26.7 billion operating budget for fiscal 2010, which begins July 1, would dedicate $4.9 billion to K-12 education, a reduction of $141 million, or 2.8 percent, from what was budgeted for the current year, according to the governor’s office.

Overall, the state budget under Gov. Jindal’s plan would be nearly 10 percent, or $2.9 billion, lower than in the current year.

In his annual speech, akin to a State of the State address, the governor noted Louisiana’s difficult fiscal straits. The state already has made midyear budget cuts of $341 million and has seen declining revenue from taxes on oil and gas production and from other sources.

Gov. Jindal proposed a set of what he termed “budget reforms” in his speech, including new requirements on school districts that concern a portion of the money they receive under the Minimum Foundation Program, the main state spending channel for K-12 education.

“We want to work with you to bring more transparency to that formula,” he told lawmakers, "[to] make sure those dollars actually go to help the intended students, go to help the intended classrooms deliver an excellent education for every student in Louisiana.”

Beginning in fiscal 2011, districts would be required to allocate such block grant money in a way that ensures it benefits certain student populations, including students living in poverty, those who need special education services, and those needing career and technical education.

To keep track, districts would have to report annually on how the money was spent. In addition, the plan would require the state department of education to post information on funding allocations and expenditures by district and school level on a new Web site for parents.

In other proposals, Gov. Jindal called for expanding the state’s focus on reducing the dropout rate. This spring, Louisiana launched a pilot program in 14 districts to help prevent students from quitting school.

“Our state cannot realize its full potential until our people realize their full potential,” the governor told lawmakers. “Every student must be encouraged to complete their high school education and continue their studies.”

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the May 13, 2009 edition of Education Week as State of the States

Events

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

States What's Behind a Legislative Push for Prayer and Bible Study in Public Schools
A Texas bill would allow schools to set aside time for students to pray and study the Bible or other religious texts.
6 min read
A Black middle or elementary student sharing her open bible with a female Asian student
E+
States What Happened to Oklahoma's Effort to Count Undocumented Students?
State leaders ended the possibility of a rule change that would have required proof of citizenship in school enrollment.
3 min read
State Superintendent Ryan Walters, right, listens during public comment at the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting on Thursday, April 25, 2024 in Oklahoma City.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters, right, listens during public comment at the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting on Thursday, April 25, 2024 in Oklahoma City.
Nick Oxford/AP Images for Human Rights Campaign
States What States Can Learn from Tennessee’s Fight Over Undocumented Students
Legislative action challenging undocumented students' right to a free, public education hit a snag in Tennessee.
3 min read
Rev. Eric Mayle, center, yells at lawmakers as a bill that would deny illegal immigrants access to education is passed in a House Education Committee hearing in Nashville, Tenn., March 26, 2025.
Rev. Eric Mayle, center, yells at lawmakers as a bill that would deny illegal immigrants access to education is passed in a House Education Committee hearing in Nashville, Tenn., March 26, 2025. The bill in question is now pending until the legislature returns to session in January 2026.
George Walker IV/AP
States Oklahoma Will Cut Funding to Districts That Don't Sign Trump's Anti-DEI Pledge
The state says it will withhold federal funds from districts that don't sign a Trump administration DEI pledge.
8 min read
Ryan Walters, Republican state superintendent candidate, speaks, June 28, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters is pictured on June 28, 2022, in Oklahoma City when he was a candidate for the position he now holds. Walters this week told districts he would halt federal funding beginning Friday, April 25, if they don't certify they're not using diversity, equity, and inclusion programming in schools.
Sue Ogrocki/AP