--- title: "Louisiana Teachers Still Waiting for Real Raises | Metaintro" canonical: "https://www.metaintro.com/blog/louisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises" language: "en" author: "drashtigarach" published: "2025-07-18T08:22:12.074Z" modified: "2025-07-18T08:22:12.074Z" --- [Back to Blog](/blog) [Salary](/blog/tag/salary)[Information](/blog/tag/information)[Education](/blog/tag/education) # Louisiana Teachers Still Waiting for Real Raises Louisiana proposes $2,250 teacher raises for 2026-2027, but educators say it's not enough after 8 years without meaningful increases [![Drashti Garach](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:40:40/q:72/plain/images/5719d740-e510-42bc-8017-e040d145f35f_1766029465094.png)Drashti Garach @DrashtiGarach](/blog/author/drashtigarach) [July 18, 2025](/blog/archive/2025/07)4 min read ![Louisiana Teachers Still Waiting for Real Raises](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:1200:675/q:78/plain/images/salaryraise.png) [https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Louisiana%20Teachers%20Still%20Waiting%20for%20Real%20Raises&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Louisiana%20Teachers%20Still%20Waiting%20for%20Real%20Raises&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises)[http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises)[https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises&title=Louisiana%20Teachers%20Still%20Waiting%20for%20Real%20Raises](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises&title=Louisiana%20Teachers%20Still%20Waiting%20for%20Real%20Raises)[mailto:?subject=Louisiana%20Teachers%20Still%20Waiting%20for%20Real%20Raises&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises](mailto:?subject=Louisiana%20Teachers%20Still%20Waiting%20for%20Real%20Raises&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Flouisiana-teachers-still-waiting-for-real-raises) ## Louisiana Teachers Still Waiting for Real Raises After eight years of budget Band-Aids and empty promises, Louisiana teachers are still waiting for something that resembles a real pay increase. Governor Jeff Landry's latest proposal might sound generous on paper, but educators aren't buying what he's selling. The proposed constitutional amendment would give teachers a **$2,250 raise** and support staff **$1,125** starting in the 2026-2027 school year. Break that down over nine months of work, and teachers are looking at about **$250 more per school year**. That's roughly $28 per month—barely enough to cover a tank of gas in today's economy. "We haven't given a real raise since 2017," said Jordan Thomas, president of Red River United, the state's largest teachers union. "That's eight years of inflation, eight years of growing demands, and eight years of teachers struggling to make ends meet." The timing couldn't be more tone-deaf. While other states are pouring money into teacher compensation to address nationwide shortages, Louisiana continues to treat educator pay like an afterthought. ## The Stipend Shell Game Here's where things get particularly frustrating for Louisiana teachers: the state has been playing a financial shell game for years. Currently, Louisiana provides **$2,000 annual stipends** to teachers and **$1,000 to support staff**—costing taxpayers **$200 million per budget cycle**. But these payments don't count toward retirement calculations, don't compound over time, and can disappear with budget cuts. It's the employment equivalent of giving someone a gift card instead of actual money. Sure, it helps in the short term, but it doesn't build long-term financial security or career progression. The proposed constitutional amendment would convert these temporary payments into permanent salary increases. That sounds progressive until you realize teachers would only get **$250 more per year** than they're already receiving through stipends. Teacher advocacy groups are calling this exactly what it is: a lateral move disguised as progress. --- Ad## ✉️ A Note from Metaintro 👇 🧵 Organizing your job hunt? Metaintro Threads help you track conversations and progress easily. [Start job search thread here.](https://www.metaintro.com/thread) --- ## The Veteran Teacher Penalty Perhaps the most infuriating aspect of Louisiana's teacher compensation mess is how it punishes loyalty and experience. Due to a policy change implemented **13 years ago**, newly hired teachers with equivalent experience and education can earn **$3,000+ more annually** than veteran teachers already working in the system. This creates the absurd situation where districts are incentivized to replace experienced educators with cheaper new hires who actually cost more money. It's a policy disaster that would make any HR professional's head spin. Imagine working at a company for years, watching your skills and value increase, only to learn that new employees with your same qualifications start at a higher salary than your current pay. This salary scale inequity is driving experienced teachers out of Louisiana classrooms at alarming rates. The state has lost thousands of veteran educators who've moved to neighboring states offering competitive compensation packages. Texas, for example, has been actively recruiting Louisiana teachers with sign-on bonuses and salary scales that can represent **$10,000-15,000 annual increases** for experienced educators. The constitutional amendment, which goes to voters in **April 2025**, represents Louisiana's attempt to address these issues without actually solving them. Political observers note that constitutional amendments require broader voter approval, making them harder to reverse but also more difficult to adjust as economic conditions change. Education advocates worry this proposal is designed more for political optics than meaningful reform. By the time the raises take effect in 2026, Louisiana will have gone nearly a decade without real teacher pay increases. Meanwhile, teacher shortages continue plaguing Louisiana schools. The state reports over **3,000 teaching vacancies** statewide, with some districts operating under emergency certification programs just to keep classrooms staffed. The proposed raises, even if approved, won't bridge the compensation gap between Louisiana and neighboring states. Arkansas recently approved teacher pay increases that put their minimum salary **$8,000 higher** than Louisiana's proposed scale. For Louisiana teachers weighing their career options, the message seems clear: patience isn't paying the bills, and other states are actively competing for their skills with offers that Louisiana's political leadership seems unwilling or unable to match. 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