Louisiana vote against constitutional amendments dims chances of teacher pay increases

Teacher raises hit a wall

Louisiana teachers had hoped voters would clear the way for permanent raises, but the May 16 election changed the outlook for schools and staff statewide. Voters rejected Amendment No. 3, the proposal tied to a permanent pay increase for teachers and school support workers.

The regular legislative session ended June 1 without a teacher-pay funding plan in the state budget. Gov. Jeff Landry then signed an executive order seeking one-year stipends through the school funding formula, but the plan still needs written approval from two-thirds of each legislative chamber.

Amendment 3 fails statewide

Amendment No. 3 would have funded a $2,250 raise for public school teachers and a $1,125 raise for school support staff across Louisiana.

The measure failed after 58% of voters rejected it, leaving lawmakers without the funding plan that had been tied to the proposed permanent pay increase for educators and support workers.

The raise plan had a tradeoff

The amendment would have dissolved three education trust funds and used that money to pay down debt in the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana.

Supporters said the savings could then fund raises without raising taxes, but voters chose to keep the existing funds and reject that path for future education spending across Louisiana public schools.

Stipends are now uncertain

In recent years, Louisiana teachers have received $2,000 yearly stipends instead of permanent salary increases through the state budget process. School support staff have received $1,000 yearly stipends during that same period.

Those stipends would have been replaced if Amendment No. 3 had passed, but voters rejected the proposal. Gov. Jeff Landry’s current short-term plan seeks $168 million for one-year stipends through the school funding formula, pending written approval from two-thirds of each legislative chamber.

Budget news makes raises harder

The state’s budget picture became tighter after the Revenue Estimating Conference projected Louisiana would collect $200 million less over two fiscal years than expected.

Lawmakers said that the shortfall makes it harder to expand or continue programs, especially recurring spending such as teacher pay support and school staff stipends this year for districts across schools and public agencies statewide.

Tax cuts shaped the shortfall

The lower revenue projection is likely tied to income tax cuts approved during Louisiana’s 2024 legislative session, according to the report.

That matters because teacher pay now competes with other budget needs in a year when lawmakers say the state has less room for new spending or program growth for educators and classrooms this session.

Lawmakers see few options

Senate President Cameron Henry had warned that lawmakers were unlikely to find another teacher-pay path if voters rejected Amendment No. 3. His comments reflected the difficulty of funding a recurring pay program after voters turned down the proposed constitutional amendment.

The current short-term path now centers on Gov. Jeff Landry’s executive order for one-year stipends. The proposal still needs written approval from two-thirds of each legislative chamber and would not create a permanent raise.

Landry had backed the measure

Governor Jeff Landry urged voters to support the teacher pay amendment before Saturday’s election, saying a yes vote could strengthen the retirement system.

He also argued the plan would improve teacher take-home pay without raising taxes, but voters rejected the proposal along with four other constitutional amendments on the ballot during a difficult statewide budget debate.

Other amendments also failed

The teacher pay plan was not the only constitutional change voters turned down. All four other amendments on the ballot failed as well.

Those measures covered civil service protections, St. George school authority, business inventory taxes, and raising the judicial age limit from 70 to 75 in Louisiana statewide after voters reviewed the full package.

Voter confusion enters the debate

Some candidates said late election changes may have confused voters, including decisions tied to congressional races after new district maps were invalidated.

Those races remained on the ballot, but the state said votes in them would not be counted, adding another layer to a complicated election for Louisiana voters during an already unusual statewide vote.

Schools face another waiting game

Teachers and support staff remain in limbo after Amendment No. 3 failed and the regular session ended without budgeted stipend funding. Gov. Jeff Landry’s executive order would restore temporary one-year stipends for classroom teachers and support staff.

The proposal still depends on written approval from two-thirds of each legislative chamber. It would not create a permanent raise, leaving Louisiana’s long-term teacher-pay debate unresolved.

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Pay fight is not over

The failed amendment left Louisiana’s teacher-pay debate unresolved, with permanent raises stalled and temporary stipends facing a difficult funding path. The Legislature ended its regular session without budgeting the money needed to continue those stipends.

Gov. Jeff Landry’s executive order now seeks to keep one-year payments in place by redirecting school-funding dollars. The proposal would provide $2,000 for classroom teachers and $1,000 for support staff for the 2026-27 school year, but it still needs written approval from two-thirds of each legislative chamber.

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What do you think Louisiana should do next as teacher pay increases become less certain? Share your thoughts in the comments.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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