BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. John Bel Edwards proposed a budget Friday that includes a $2,000 pay raise for K-12 teachers that could climb to $3,000 if more money becomes available.
He also called for a $1,000 pay raise for support workers at schools.
Those basic raises would cost the state about $200 million each year. Teachers could receive the additional $1,000 raise, bringing the total increase to $3,000, if the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference increases its revenue projections again in May.
Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne said that would finally push teacher salaries in Louisiana to the Southern regional average and cost an additional $74 million annually.
In unveiling his final budget proposal, Edwards touted his sixth year in a budget surplus after inheriting a $2 billion deficit in his first term. Edwards’ second term ends in January.
“We’ve had the best budgets for education in the history of our state, from early childhood through K-12 and certainly including higher education,” Edwards said.
Edwards’ proposed budget also includes $57.1 million for the early childhood program with the Department of Education, more money for need-based Go Grants to cover college tuition costs and a 2% pay raise for university faculty.
“This is a home run for education at every level,” Dardenne said.
Thanks to federal aid and higher-than-expected tax collections, the state finds itself with a budget surplus of $726.5 million from the previous fiscal year and $928 million in excess funds that must be spent before June 30.
Though the excess money is recognized as recurring funds, Edwards wants to allocate most of it to one-time expenses out of caution as the temporary 0.45% increase in sales tax is expected to roll off at the end of 2025 and could leave the state facing a revenue shortfall.
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