LaTEACH
Join Fellow LaTEACH Members!
Put on your Purple 
The Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) Task Force needs to hear your voice!

September 13, 2013

 

Greetings!

 

Put on your purple and meet us at the MFP Task Force meeting at 10:00 a.m. on September 23rd at the Claiborne Building in Baton Rouge!
 
Click here to see the agenda.
 
Topic:  Cost of a Minimum Foundation Program of Education
What To Do

ALL LaTEACH members are encouraged to attend the Louisiana MFP Task Force meetings.  If you don't have a purple LaTEACH shirt, contact your  LaTEACH Regional Leader and we will provide one for you. 

 

If you cannot attend the MFP Task Force Meetings: 
Send Ms. Rana Ottallah, MFP Task Force member representing parents of students with disabilities, your comments and suggestions at: ranaottallah@gmail.com
 
Click HERE for the list of other MFP Task Force Members

More Information

The MFP Task Force will consider changing the MFP.  The MFP, or Minimum Foundation Program, is the main funding formula for education of students in elementary and secondary schools.  This will be the second of five MFP Task Force Meetings.

 

Summary of September 4th MFP Task Force Meeting

The MFP Task Force listened to parents, school representatives, and other advocates and voted on information to receive and consider in making decisions about possible changes to the funding formula.

Six LaTEACH members participated in the MFP Task Force meeting on September 4th and shared recommendations for the funding formula to be consistent across all school systems and to consider the cost of services for students with significant needs.  Parents shared that the actual cost for services some students need are not reflected in the student's disability label or performance on standardized tests.  Therefore, these parents/LaTEACH members recommended avoiding a funding formula based on student disability labels, performance on standardized tests or graduation rates.  Other recommendations were to ensure that any desired outcomes sought through funding are consistent with the needs of all students, including those with significant disabilities, and have evidence to support it will be effective.

The major categories of information requested for consideration by the MFP task force include:  
  • actual costs/expenditures and allocation levels by student; 
  • actual costs and allocation for some types of programs (course choice, career and technical, and dual enrollment in high school and college); 
  • comparisons of funding levels across Louisiana school systems (traditional public school vs. charter school formula, and the Recovery School District tiered model);
  • comparisons to other state funding levels;
  • options for funding approaches;
  • the impact on benefits and retirement obligations; and, 
  • revenue sources (local, state and federal).
Additional Resources of Interest

Click here to read Financing Special Education: State Funding Formulasby Dr. Eileen Ahearn in 2010.  Dr. Ahearn provides a comprehensive comparison of state funding formulas from all fifty states.  

 

Click here to read  Louisiana's Minimum Foundation Program Formula: Analyzing the Results by the Cohen Institute of Tulane University.  This policy brief provides a description of the MFP and comparison of other funding models used across the states. 

Meeting Schedule

The MFP Task Force has four remaining meetings scheduled:

 

When: 

September 23       
10:00 a.m. - 4: 30 p.m.  
Topic: Cost of a Minimum Foundation Program of Education
October 21
November 21
December 13

 

Click here for the schedule of general topics covered on each of these dates.

 

Where:

Claiborne Building

Thomas Jefferson Room

1201 North 3rd St.

Baton Rouge, La


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