Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis announced Wednesday that full funding of state higher education will be a main component of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s executive budget. The budget also includes plans for a teacher pay raise to maintain the Southern regional average.
These two issues have been elements of Jindal’s platform since the beginning of his gubernatorial campaign.
Davis will present the budget Friday to the Joint Legislative Committee. She said legislators must send a message throughout the state and across the country that they will capitalize on the governor’s ethics reform by investing to improve educational performance.
The funding request for higher education includes a $34.7 million increase to fund “operational needs” of colleges and universities and $15 million for a new performance-based incentive funding pool.
“Governor Jindal’s Executive Budget proposal for funding Louisiana colleges and universities recognizes that Louisiana’s economic future is directly linked to the quality of public postsecondary education,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie in a state news release.
The budget would also include $8 million to fund endowed chairs and professorships.
Davis will request an additional $9.2 million to fund Go Grants, a need-based program established to make college affordable for students from moderate- and low-income families.
“The Governor’s budget reflects the beginning of what we believe is a long-term commitment to support our mission to improve academic performance for all students, eliminate achievement gaps between race and class and prepare students to be effective citizens in a global market,” said the Louisiana Department of Education and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in the news release.
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