Louisiana teachers brace for smaller paychecks next year

Next school year could mean fewer dollars in Louisiana teachers' wallets. State budget writers just approved a plan that skips the yearly cash boost teachers have gotten for the past two years. Without this extra money, many will see their pay drop by $2, 000. Support staff like school librarians would lose $1, 000 annually. Lawmakers knew this was coming. They warned months ago that state money was tightening up. Recent numbers show Louisiana might bring in less cash next year than expected. That made adding the usual stipends tricky.Teachers have been pushing hard for these payments. A recent vote asked voters to let the state use certain school funds to pay down teacher retirement debt first. If that passed, money saved could go to raises instead. But voters said no. Now teachers are left wondering why their paychecks might shrink even as test scores climb. The state ranks almost last for teacher salaries nationwide. Louisiana teachers make thousands less than those in neighboring states. Many feel stuck in a cycle where they work extra hard but get extra little in return. Some teachers argued to draw from state savings instead of cutting stipends. The biggest teachers' union pointed to a spare cash pile meant for tough times. Why not use some of that to keep teacher pay steady, they asked? But lawmakers chose a different path. Their latest budget keeps some other workers happy, giving raises to groups like prison guards. The governor suggested everyone should get no raises if teachers don't get permanent ones. That pressure led to quick decisions about other state workers instead.