The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the nonpartisan Council for a Better Louisiana are backing reforms proposed by State Rep. Steve Carter that supporters say would refocus school boards on student achievement and school performance. The Public Affairs Research Council has also announced its support. The Baton Rouge Republican’s legislation would:
—Make it illegal for school boards to make personnel decisions.
—Require a two-thirds vote to hire or fire a superintendent.
—Clarify the definition of nepotism in school system hiring.
—Replace monthly pay with a $50 per diem for meetings, plus travel expenses.
—Eliminate employee health benefits for board members.
—Limit members to three terms.
Carter plans to introduce four bills to accomplish these six goals, although the legislation has not yet been written. Les Landon, a spokesman for the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, said LFT would wait to see the details before forming an opinion. Carter said he’s been hearing from school board members who support his proposals, but Don Whittinghill of the Louisiana School Boards Association says he hasn’t heard any support for the changes. Whittinghill says many association members see the proposals as part of an effort to undermine local control of schools, and says some support reforms that didn’t make it into Carter’s proposals, such as education requirements for board members.—David Jacobs
