Board maintains financial support for school systems, requests from Legislature funds to support educators, workforce development, and tutoring.
The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) today unanimously approved the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula for the 2025-26 school year. The new formula aligns with the recommendations of the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and Governor Jeff Landry’s executive budget proposal. The formula includes additional funds for differentiated compensation, apprenticeships and internships, and accelerated tutoring. These added components represent approximately a $49.5 million addition to the MFP addressing the key areas of employee pay, workforce development, and tutoring.
“The MFP formula approved by BESE today reflects Louisiana’s strategic approach to student centered funding K-12 public education in the coming year, supporting efforts to equip all students with the tools they need to succeed,” said BESE President Ronnie Morris. “In crafting the new MFP, our Board carefully evaluated various factors, including state revenue projections, and the needs of students, educators, and school systems. As we navigate the MFP and budget processes, BESE remains dedicated to collaborating with our legislative partners to ensure Louisiana’s public schools receive the necessary financial support.”
Key components of the MFP formula approved today:
- $4,015 maintained as the base per pupil amount provided to school systems;
- $17.5 million allocated to continue the differentiated compensation provision for teacher pay;
- $2 million to provide school systems with support for apprenticeships and internships; and
- $30 million allocated to support literacy and math tutoring.
The MFP formula defines the cost of a minimum program of education for all public elementary and secondary schools in Louisiana. School districts, charter schools, lab schools and state schools utilize MFP dollars to fund expenses including employee salaries and benefits. Complete details on the 2025-2026 MFP formula adopted by BESE are available here.
The state’s constitution delegates authority to BESE to develop the MFP formula and submit it to the Louisiana Legislature each year. Per state law, the Legislature may approve or reject the formula but cannot make amendments to it. The final resolution outlining the formula approved by BESE today will be submitted to the Legislature for consideration by March 15.
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For more information, please contact:
Tavares A. Walker, Executive Director
Tavares.Walker2@la.gov
The mission of BESE is to provide leadership and create policies for education that expand opportunities for children, empower families and communities, and advance Louisiana in an increasingly competitive global market.