Jeremy Alford and David Jacobs: Education committees target truancy, student retention

Last year, the Education committees were in the spotlight as they created the expansion of the state’s school voucher program that’s now known as LA GATOR. 
Gov. Jeff Landry has requested $50 million in this year’s executive budget for the program, which is scheduled to begin taking applications March 1. 
Members also did work related to literacy, numeracy and the Let Teachers Teach program, House Education Chair Laurie Schlegel said. 
In this year’s fiscal-focused session, they probably won’t have as much to do as in 2024. But they want to ensure what they did last year is getting implemented and funded, with an eye toward potential tweaks if warranted. 
“In terms of big-ticket items, I think a lot of that happened last session,” Schlegel said. “I do think there will probably be some building upon that.”
Senate Education Chair Rick Edmonds plans to put a lot of focus on addressing truancy. He wasn’t ready to share details this week, but suggests he will take a hard look at strategies that have worked in other states.
Chronic absenteeism surged nationwide after the pandemic. But while some parts of the country saw a decline, the rate in Louisiana continued to rise. 
“We can’t raise the standard of education if we can’t get them in the classroom,” Edmonds said.
He also expects to see legislation related to school safety, which could involve school facilities design. 
Schlegel and Edmonds both mentioned efforts to keep more students in Louisiana. Edmonds said he is working with higher education officials to help students in high school identify a career path that leads to a good job in Louisiana. 
Schlegel said trends in the TOPS scholarship program indicate the number of students accepting a TOPS award from a Louisiana school has declined. 
“I know that there’s a great concern with us losing our highest-performing high school students to out-of-state schools,” she said. 
Schlegel expects to see a focus on ways to keep more students in state, as well as lure students currently studying outside the state back to Louisiana if they choose to pursue graduate degrees. 
In the education world, all eyes for now are on Amendment 2, which would lock in the stipends that educators have been getting in recent years as part of their permanent salary. Schlegel said she hopes it passes, but if it doesn’t, lawmakers should look at doing another stipend.
“I guess we’ll see come the end of March,” she said.
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