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Urge Louisiana Senators to restore funding for Non-public schools
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April 30, 2018Funding for Nonpublic education continues to be threatened during this legislative session. HB 1 is the legislative instrument that reflects the governor's executive budget and works its way through the process to eventually become the operating budget of the state of Louisiana for the coming fiscal year. In this case, all money allocated to various funding streams via HB 1 this legislative session will apply to FY '18-'19.
While HB 1 COMPLETELY DEFUNDED two funding streams associated with what is labeled, "Nonpublic Educational Assistance," the House Appropriations committee restored partial funding to the two programs at hand: Required Services and School Lunch Salary Supplement programs. As many of you are aware, each has existed for at least 30 years and individually they serve invaluable purposes not only to our schools, but most importantly to the students that we educate.
Required Services is a program whereby nonpublic schools are statutorily required to provide information to the state Department of Education, which the state uses to its benefit and the schools are reimbursed for the work associated with doing so. If such funding were to disappear, our schools would lose valuable funding that they use for various programs that directly serve its students (i.e. professional development of educators, curriculum enhancements, student programming support, etc.).
The School Lunch Salary Supplements are supplements provided to the necessary workers within our cafeterias. The reality of not receiving these supplements, is that feeding our children within nonpublic schools is directly threatened. Without such funding, schools are left with an unrealistic and impossible choice: raise the cost of the meal which will price many of our families out of receiving such a meal, or 2. layoff workers leaving our cafeterias unsustainable. Either way, our nonpublic schools would be transformed into an environment where children would not be able to be properly nourished which clearly correlates into placing their learning capacity into jeopardy.
The current deficit for these two programs after the House's passage of HB 1 continues to be a staggering: $8,208,224. Therefore, we ask that you urge members of the Senate Finance committee to restore our full funding when they consider HB 1.
We appreciate your effort and action in ensuring that the House understand the full gravity of this situation on our students, and that they hear from you - their constituents!
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