Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order June 2 creating what he calls a bipartisan task force to develop a permanent funding source for teacher and school support worker pay raises through changes to the state’s Minimum Foundation Program (MFP), the formula that funds public education.

The proposal would redirect approximately $168 million within the MFP to continue the current $2,000 teacher stipend and $1,000 support staff stipend for the 2026-27 school year. The move follows voters’ rejection of Constitutional Amendment 3 in May, which would have created a permanent funding source for educator pay raises.

While teachers generally support maintaining the stipends, educators and school leaders are questioning how the plan will affect local school districts. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter has said educators still have significant questions about where the money will come from and what impact funding shifts could have on schools.

In northwest Louisiana, school officials are closely monitoring the proposal. Red River Parish Superintendent Alison Strong said the district has long prioritized employee compensation and currently ranks among the state’s top-paying school systems.

“Red River Parish has always made employee compensation a top priority,” Strong said. “Every teacher and employee in the school system deserves competitive wages, and we work each day to make that happen.”

However, Strong expressed concern about using existing MFP dollars to fund the state mandate.

“What is not good is the possibility of cutting or reallocating the MFP to fund this specific mandate,” she said. “There is no way that this will not directly or indirectly impact student services in the future.”

Education officials across Louisiana have warned that diverting MFP funds toward salaries could create pressure on district budgets that rely on those dollars for transportation, maintenance, utilities, technology, and other operational needs. The concern may be especially significant in larger districts such as Caddo and DeSoto parishes, where payroll costs are substantially higher.

For now, local school boards are waiting for details on how the proposed changes would be implemented and whether individual districts could see funding reductions as a result.