The complex nature of the retirement system tends to obscure the importance of pension reform. This has contributed to an unfortunate lack of urgency over the years. But while the details can appear daunting, the crux of the matter is simple: Louisiana has promised its retirees more than it can deliver.
By building on existing research from the Louisiana Sentencing Commission and following key principles that have guided successful reforms in Texas and other states, Louisiana policymakers can take the next steps to enhance public safety in the state and control costs borne by taxpayers.
As an alternative to the “draconian Jindal approach” to education reform, the state’s teachers unions have offered up legislation that would revoke value-added teacher assessments, reinstate tenure and empower school boards over superintendents.
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposals to boost employee contributions, alter benefit calculations and increase the official retirement age will soon undergo substantive changes during floor debate in the Upper Chamber.
Tenure reform should be linked to a new teacher evaluation system set to go into effect later this year that makes use of student test scores, according to Gov. Bobby Jindal and top figures in education and business who back his reform package.
Part 2 in Jeremy Alford’s series on Louisiana campaign finance, including how much each candidate paid for each vote.
Even as they differ over the merits and defects of health care exchanges, state officials from across party lines continue to express concern over the regulatory uncertainty attached to ObamaCare.
Are business interests plotting to take over the public education system and turn a profit at the expense of the public? That is the charge leading figures within the Coalition for Public Education have aimed against Gov. Bobby Jindal and the school board candidates who favor charter schools.
Letter grades that show a sizable percentage of Louisiana public schools are either failing or under-performing continue to generate controversy. A union-led coalition warns against Gov. Jindal’s privatization agenda, while a business group says the unions fear transparency and accountability.
Louisiana’s experiment with charter schools could be restrained and limited if the right mix of candidates running for the state’s top school board seats do not prevail in this year’s election, warn industry officials who are backing several newcomers and three incumbents.