Voucher report: New lipstick on an old pig

(Baton Rouge – November 3, 2014) A Louisiana Department of Education report boasting success for Louisiana’s controversial school voucher scheme amounts to little more than political propaganda on the eve of an election, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said today.

BESE Report October 2014

Prompted by fears that the Ebola virus could invade Louisiana, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved emergency rules giving superintendents the authority to close schools or send students home if threats appear.

PARCC decision fails to address real issues

(Baton Rouge – August 20, 2014) Tuesday’s court ruling against the Jindal administration’s effort to block tests linked to Common Core State Standards fails to address the real issues facing teachers and their students as school opens for the 2014-15 school year, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said today.

BESE Report – August 2014

The August meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education was contentious, with members clashing over the future of New Orleans’ John McDonogh High School, accountability for voucher schemes, the Recovery School District’s $213 million budget and more.

LFT responds to Roemer's "apples-to-apples" speech

LFT President Steve Monaghan: “Let’s talk about the inherent unfairness of comparing Louisiana children with children in other states, given the current chaos and the documented failure to prepare students, parents, and teachers for these changes,”

LFT tells BESE: Suspend high-stakes testing

(Baton Rouge – July 29, 2014) Moments after the state’s highest education board voted today to sue Gov. Bobby Jindal for blocking the funds to pay for Common Core testing, LFT President Steve Monaghan urged the board to suspend high-stakes testing until the controversy is resolved.