BESE approves MFP formula

BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education recently approved the Minimum Foundation Program formula for the 2014-15 school year, increasing the amount of state funds allocated to public schools.

The approved MFP includes a 2.75 percent statewide funding increase, additional state funds for career education courses, state funding for districts to provide expanded course opportunities outside of high schools, and an increase in state funding for students whose disabilities require costly services.

“This MFP provides public schools with more than $125 million of additional funding and acknowledges rising costs,” State Superintendent of Education John White said. “It goes beyond that to provide students with opportunities to pursue career training and early college coursework. Finally, it accounts for the needs of students with the most significant disabilities.”

The basis for the 2014-15 MFP came from the MFP Task Force, which was comprised of a diverse membership of Louisiana education stakeholders, provided the basis for the 2014-15 MFP. The task force provided guidance on improving the formula to ensure the most equitable method of funding public education.

BESE also approved the inclusion of language to the MFP that would continue to provide an annual 2.75 percent increase in subsequent years.

The MFP defines the cost of educating all public school students in Louisiana. The state’s constitution requires BESE to develop a formula for distributing state funds to public schools and submit it to the Louisiana Legislature each year.