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Today the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula for the 2022-23 school year, sustaining the current level of state funding allocated to public schools and increasing teacher and support staff salaries. The new MFP includes a raise of $1,500 for certificated teachers and $750 for non-certificated school support staff, reflecting the education pay increases proposed in Governor John Bel Edwards’ 2022-23 Executive Budget.

“The new funding formula continues pushing Louisiana educator salaries upward while preserving financial support for public school systems,” said BESE President Jim Garvey. “The MFP adopted by BESE today is a solid first step in the annual K-12 funding process, and we look forward to working with our partners in the Legislature in the weeks ahead to ensure our schools and districts have the financial resources necessary to succeed.”

The MFP defines the cost of educating all public school students in Louisiana. The state’s constitution requires BESE to develop a formula for distributing state funds to public schools and submit it to the Louisiana Legislature each year. The final resolution outlining the formula approved by BESE today will be sent to lawmakers by March 15 for consideration. Per state law, the Legislature may approve or reject the formula submitted by BESE but cannot make changes to it.

The resolution approved by BESE also includes a request that in the event additional funds are realized, the Legislature will return the MFP formula to BESE so that it may be revised to increase the pay raise to a minimum of $2,000 for certificated staff and $1,000 for non-certificated support staff.

The formula adopted by the Board aligns with the recommendations of the MFP Task Force, a BESE advisory council comprised of a diverse membership of Louisiana education stakeholders. The task force provided guidance on identifying priorities and improving the formula to ensure the most equitable method of funding public education for the coming year.

BESE’s funding proposal maintains support for certified mentor teachers through an annual allocation of $2,000 per mentor teacher. These experienced local educators share their knowledge and skills to effectively coach and support new and resident teachers in their district, and are an important part of the state’s educational leadership pipeline. The new formula also expands the allowable use of the Career Development Fund supplementary allocation to include course tuition for career and technical education, and increases Supplemental Course Allocation per pupil amount from $59 to $70.

Complete details on the 2022-2023 MFP formula are available online via the BESE BoardDocs website.

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BESE is the administrative policymaking body for elementary and secondary schools in Louisiana. The Board sets key education initiatives and works to outline an education agenda to achieve continuous improvement of public education as measured by student and school achievement.