[StBernard] LRA Applauds Congressional Incentive Package to Attract New Teachers to South Louisiana

[Westley Annis]

LRA Applauds Congressional Incentive Package to Attract New Teachers to South Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. (March 8, 2007) - The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) today applauded the introduction of legislation to attract new teachers to South Louisiana as the region recovers from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the first and third most catastrophic disasters in American history. 

"The best way to get New Orleans and the Gulf Coast back in shape is to bring in and retain talented new teachers and principals. And that will help build an economy for the long run," said LRA Vice Chairman Walter Isaacson. "But they need incentives. This bill would do that in a thoughtful way." 

Introduced this week by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Representatives Charlie Melancon (D-La.), William Jefferson (D-La.) and George Miller (D-Calif.), The Revitalizing New Orleans by Attracting America's Leaders (RENEWAAL) Act of 2007 addresses the severe teacher shortage in schools throughout South Louisiana and provides $500 million to colleges and universities to cover revenue shortfalls and other needs. The package also includes incentives for qualified educators and principals that stay in or return to hurricane-impacted public schools and commit to work there for at least three years. 


Also cosponsoring the bill are Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). 

"Louisiana will only recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita if public education rapidly rebounds," said Linda Johnson, LRA Education Committee Chair. "This legislation provides powerful incentives to talented teachers and school leaders from throughout the country, particularly those educators displaced by the storms, to come to south Louisiana to rebuild this state through education."

The LRA played a significant role in working with members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation in designing the RENEWAAL Act. Working with the Louisiana Department of Education and local non-profit organizations, the LRA provided key statistics detailing the demand for teachers and the barriers preventing high-quality teachers and school leaders from working in impacted areas. 

The LRA also designed the tiered system of the RENEWAAL Act incentives, which provides the highest level of incentives to teachers and school leaders displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. At the LRA's request, the legislation ensures that teachers within all parishes heavily impacted by the storms be eligible to receive incentives.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.

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