Why the Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Authority Legislation is Important

This session, lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 584 and House Bill 210 to create the Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Authority. We’ve been working with Senator Karen Carter Peterson, former Senator Cheryl Gray Evans and Representative Walt Leger on legislation to create a statewide school facilities authority since the 2008 Legislation session. This legislation is greatly needed in Louisiana because, as we are all well aware in New Orleans, many of our school facilities are crumbling all across the state. While 41 other states provide some sort of state funding to local districts for their school facilities—Louisiana does not.

Today, Louisiana ranks fourth lowest of all states in total capital spending for public schools. Compared to other states in our region—Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas—we spend the least. Locals cannot continue to shoulder the burden of capital expenses alone. Because the state allocates such a low amount of funding for public education, local communities in Louisiana already take on a relatively higher share of obligation for providing for public schools. Compared to other states in our region, local communities in Louisiana contribute a higher amount toward public school funding.

The primary purpose of the authority created by SB 584 would be to eventually assist local school districts in constructing new buildings and renovating existing ones by providing matching funds from the state. The bill sets up a planning year for the school facilities authority where, if funds are available, the authority would conduct a statewide assessment of all public school facilities in Louisiana, employ an Executive Director and staff with a background in construction, architecture, etc. and determine the formula through which to assess and prioritize funding for local projects submitted by the locals.

Legislation creating a statewide school facilities authority was passed unanimously by the legislature in 2008 and was vetoed by Governor Jindal on the basis that he believes school facilities are a local responsibility and there are currently many unmet obligations including roads and deferred maintenance on state buildings. In 2009, the bill to create the Statewide School Facilities Authority died late in the session in the House Appropriations Committee.

We are excited to report that yesterday, SB 584, passed unanimously in the Senate Education Committee. The Times-Picayune wrote an interesting article on this legislation that you can read here.   It quotes Senator Peterson as saying “”It is a disgrace. I’ve been doing this for three years and it’s been vetoed twice, and I’m not happy about it. I’m going to keep doing and embarrass people into doing the right thing.”  We agree with her and hope her efforts will put in place something the state should have done a long time ago—a statewide school facilities authority.