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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 204
BY SENATOR MURRAY
BESE. Requests BESE to convene a minimum foundation program task force to further
examine the actual costs of educating a student in Louisiana public elementary and
secondary schools.
A RESOLUTION1
To urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to convene a2
minimum foundation program (MFP) task force to examine the actual cost of3
educating a student in Louisiana public elementary and secondary schools as well as4
related issues relative to the MFP formula, and to submit a written report of the task5
force findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Education not later6
than February 1, 2015.7
WHEREAS, the Constitution of Louisiana requires that the legislature provide for8
the education of the people of the state and further requires that the legislature establish and9
maintain a public educational system; and10
WHEREAS, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is required by11
Louisiana Constitution Article VIII, ยง13, to create a MFP formula for the funding of public12
elementary and secondary education and to submit the formula to the legislature for approval13
and equitably allocate the funds to the school systems; and14
WHEREAS, the constitution provides that the legislature may not amend the formula15
that is adopted by the board and submitted to the legislature for its consideration but may16
only return an unsatisfactory formula to the boards along with recommendations to the board17
for an amended formula; and18 SR NO. 204
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WHEREAS, the MFP task force should study all potential funding mechanisms to1
meet the actual cost of providing public elementary and secondary education in Louisiana;2
and3
WHEREAS, a MFP task force was convened in 2013, at the request of the House of4
Representatives in House Resolution 148, and recommended the following: an increased5
base per pupil funding of two and three-quarters percent; seven and one-half million dollars6
in supplemental course allocation funds for the cost of courses not traditionally offered by7
high schools; four billion dollars for career development funds to cover courses leading to8
statewide industry credentials; and four million dollars for high risk funds to support the9
education of students with the most significant disabilities; and10
WHEREAS, the 2013 task force did not study the "actual" cost of educating public11
elementary and secondary students in the state; and12
WHEREAS, the "actual" cost is paramount to accurately ascertain the MFP formula;13
and14
WHEREAS, the "actual" cost of educating public elementary and secondary students15
in Louisiana has not been studied since 1996; and16
WHEREAS, members of the MFP task force should include the Louisiana17
Department of Education and representatives of the Louisiana School Boards Association,18
Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, Louisiana Association of School Business19
Officers, Council for a Better Louisiana, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry,20
Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, Louisiana Association of Educators,21
Louisiana Federation of Teachers, and Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council.22
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana23
does hereby urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education24
convene a MFP task force to conduct a study of the MFP to determine the actual cost of25
providing public elementary and secondary education in Louisiana, to study all potential26
funding mechanisms to meet the actual cost of providing public elementary and secondary27
education in Louisiana, and to submit a written report of the task force findings and28
recommendations to the Senate Committee on Education not later than February 1, 2015.29 SR NO. 204
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
Murray SR No. 204
Requests BESE to reassemble a MFP task force to examine the actual cost of educating a
student in La. public elementary and secondary schools, as well as related issues relative to
the MFP formula, and to submit a written report of the task force findings and
recommendations to the Senate Committee on Education not later than Feb. 1, 2015.