KEY TAKEAWAYS: Two major Louisiana teacher unions endorse Constitutional Amendment #3 Measure would convert temporary stipends into permanent salary increases Vote set for statewide ballot on May 16 election Funding plan involves retirement debt payoff and education trust fund changes   Louisiana’s two largest unions for public school teachers are backing a constitutional amendment that would lead to a small pay increase. The measure will be on the May 16 election ballot. “[Constitutional Amendment #3] creates a path away from temporary stipends and toward lasting salary growth, while protecting the retirement benefits of educators and retirees,” Larry Carter, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, said in a written statement released Monday. His union and the Louisiana Association of Educators sent out a joint press release announcing their endorsement of the amendment. The organizations represent teachers and other public school staff, such as school clerks and bus drivers, across the state. Constitutional Amendment #3 is the pared down version of a far more sweeping tax overhaul and teacher pay proposal voters rejected last year. The two unions had also come out in support of that measure before it failed during a March 2025 election. The revamped amendment on the May ballot is almost exclusively focused on getting public school staff permanent salary increases. If approved, it would require the state to dissolve three trusts funds worth a combined $2 billion to pay down the debt of the state teachers retirement system earlier than expected. The savings from those early debt payments will be used to cover most of a permanent salary increase for the educators and school support workers. Their salaries would increase by $2,250 and $1,125 in the 2026-27 school year, respectively. Public school employees have already received most of that money over the past three years through annual stipends of $2,000 and $1,000. The permanent increases would make it far less likely that money could be cut in the future. The average public school teacher salary in Louisiana was just shy of $56,000 during the 2023-24 school year. That was less than the average teacher salary in the region, which is a little under $62,000, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. Carter said in an interview that his union’s leadership decided to back the amendment following a survey of its 18,000 members. The organization will be putting money into getting out the vote for the amendment, including through digital advertising, he said. The Louisiana Association of Educators’ representative assembly, which includes delegates from all over the state, made its decision to endorse the amendment, said its president D’Shay Oaks,  in an interview Wednesday. Her group has also come out in opposition to Constitutional Amendment #2, which would create a new school district for the city of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish. Oaks said the union is trying to decide whether to run separate marketing efforts on the two amendments, so the public doesn’t get confused about which ones the union supports and opposes. Regarding Amendment #3, there could be potential drawbacks to the teacher pay measure, according to the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana. The education trust funds that would be dissolved to pay off the teacher retirement debt are now used to pay for other education services. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and higher education institutions put the money toward early childhood education, academic improvement programs, endowed professorships and graduate student recruitment, among other things. By law, Gov. Jeff Landry and the Louisiana Legislature would be forced to continue to support the early childhood education slots. The governor and lawmakers have said they would support the other programs as well. But there is no mandate that funding for those other services have to continue. Landry and lawmakers will also still have to find money to ensure that every teacher and support staff worker receives their salary increase. Savings from the amendment won’t cover the entire cost for some school districts or any charter school teachers. It’s unclear exactly how much money will be required to backfill the teacher salaries.. State Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, said in an interview that it is expected to cost between $40 million and $50 million more. That money has not been put in the state budget yet, but McFarland, who helps build the budget plan, said lawmakers will be able to find the money if the amendment gets approved. ...read more read less