We're in the home stretch of the 2013 legislative session, but there is still much to be done including finalizing a budget for the MFP. The House floor delayed action yesterday on the amendment to the current year's supplemental budget bill (HB 677 by Rep. Fannin) that would make all the necessary changes to the MFP based on the Act 2 Supreme Court ruling, including the final payment to nonpublic schools that participated in the voucher program this year.  It is now on  today's floor agenda.  The $63 million K-12 funding amendment includes $7 million in the State General Fund for the final payment for schools that educated voucher students this year.  It also includes $18.3 million in the State General Fund to add to the MFP to increase funding in the formula required as a result of the rejection of this year's MFP and the reversion to the Fiscal Year 2012 MFP. Furthermore, it includes $16.1 million in the State General Fund to add to the MFP due to increased student counts based on the Fiscal Year 2012 formula.  Finally, it restores $21.9 million to the MFP for funding that local districts used for the July-April payments for the voucher program. 

There also remains other major bills to be debated on the floor and in committee.  While none of the bills are "charter specific" per se, many of them can and will dramatically affect public education, including charters, in Louisiana.  As always, we encourage you to stay informed and engaged.  Because Louisiana is a fairly progressive state as it pertains to education reform, it's sometimes easy to take the presence of charter schools for granted.  However, believe us when we tell you that even today, charters continue to wade in controversial waters, and there are always potential threats to charter autonomy and accountability out there. See below for some potential bills of interest.

As a membership organization, we're always looking for new ways to serve our member schools and provide worthwhile value-added services and events.  Therefore, it is with great pride that we announce our newest initiative: The Bottom Line.  The Bottom Line is our newest programming, targeted at school leaders and school HR specialists.  LAPCS will bring in local and national experts to discuss relevant and timely employment issues, provide best practices and tips regarding a variety of employment topics, and provide a safe forum for questions and concerns.  This program is only available for member organizations.  Please reach out to our Legal Director, Sarah Vandergriff for more information.

LAPCS is also proud to announce our 5th Annual Conference.  This year, the conference theme is "Adjusting the Sails: Staying on Course for Success," and Jeff Duncan-Andrade, Ph.D. will be the keynote.  Dr. Duncan-Andrade is Associate Professor of Raza Studies and Education Administration and Interdisciplinary Studies.  He is also a high school English teacher in Oakland, California.  With more than 20 years in the classroom and with critical pedagogy in urban schools, Duncan-Andrade is an expert in effective teaching competencies and strategies for urban schools.  He runs the youth program, Roses in Concrete, and has lectured around the world, recently presenting a TED talk.  Save the date.  Our conference will be held September 13, 2013 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Baton Rouge, La. Registration details coming soon.

All the best,

The LAPCS Team

@LAPCSTeam

P.S. Have you read this recent Opinion from the Walton Family Foundation's research and evaluation team about charter school critics?  A good read.