Every child should have access to a high-quality education, ensuring every Louisiana resident has a chance to succeed. Louisiana cannot have a bright economic future without a workforce equipped with the skills and training necessary to compete in a 21st century economy. Revamping Louisiana’s educational system stands as an economic imperative—and a moral one too.
As we put 2019 in the rear view and the last economic news from the previous decade trickles in, one thing is becoming clear – much like it was at the start of the decade, Louisiana is struggling. The latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that the Pelican State’s unemployment rate...
We’re one week away from the Pelican Institute for Public Policy’s Solutions Summit 2.0. Next Thursday, January 30 at the Hilton Capitol Center in Baton Rouge, join state and national policy leaders as we unveil solutions to the biggest problems facing Louisiana. Today, we’re excited to share our all-star speaker line-up for the event, which includes legislators...
Finally, Louisiana got some much needed good economic news with the latest report about economic growth from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This report showed that in the 3rd quarter of 2019, the Louisiana economy grew at 2.9 percent, the 4th highest in the nation. The largest reason for this boost in economic growth, measured...
There’s still time to register for the Pelican Institute for Public Policy’s Solutions Summit 2.0 on January 30 at the Hilton Capitol Center in Baton Rouge. Sign up by clicking here today and help us spread the word so your friends, colleagues and family can reserve their spots before the event sells out. At Solutions...
On Monday night, nothing could stop Joe Burrow and the LSU offense from marching up and down the field in route to a 42-25 victory over Clemson in the college national championship game. Unfortunately, it looks like Louisiana’s government took a cue from Clemson’s defense, because a new report shows its policies are causing Louisianans...
Over the last year, the Pelican Institute has been traveling the state, speaking to individuals and organizations, releasing hundreds of pages of educational materials and countless informative video advertisements emphasizing the importance of making fundamental changes to our state government’s core structures. Now, the moment is upon us to start turning this vision of righting...
There’s been a lot of debate over education policy and, more recently, teacher pay raises, retirement security for teachers and other government works, and transparency in how our education dollars are spent here in Louisiana. You know the Pelican Institute’s positions well: pay good teachers more (a lot more!), bring transparency to ensure more money...
Without ensuring access to a high-quality education for every child, Louisiana cannot have a vibrant and growing economy. Attracting more jobs and opportunity to the Pelican State requires a workforce with the proper training and skills to compete in the 21st century economy. Developing this workforce starts at the primary school level, which is why...
It’s hard to believe that a full year has passed since one man from a small town in Illinois substantially expanded freedom for public workers across the country. On that fateful day in 2018, Mark Janus, a child support specialist at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, emerged victorious from the Supreme Court....
During the most recent legislative session, one of the most hotly debated issues was a $1,000 pay raise for teachers and a $500 raise for support staff. Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 which, included the pay raise, passed both the House and Senate with overwhelming support. While much of the debate focused on the pay raise...
With the 2019 regular legislative session coming to a close this week, the Pelican Institute wants to take some time to reflect on the victories achieved and opportunities missed by lawmakers. This was an abbreviated legislative session and that, combined with rapidly approaching fall elections, made chances for the possibility of enacting transformational policy reforms...
It’s no secret to the people of Louisiana that things aren’t going well. The state has a shrinking labor force, an antiquated budget system, a struggling education system and a backlog of infrastructure projects that are in need of addressing. Given these issues, it’s no surprise that there is a sizable population that is leaving...
In today’s hyper-partisan times, there is at least one thing all Louisianans should agree on: our state is struggling to provide a quality education for its students. Our state continues to lag behind the rest of the nation, ranking 46 out of 50 in quality of schools and second to last in quality of education....
Despite some progress in recent years, it’s no secret that Louisiana’s public educational system still lags behind the rest of the nation in overall performance. For example, Louisiana’s most recent test scores revealed eighth grade reading numbers fell behind 41 other states, while the state’s performance in eighth grade math ranked below 48 states. The...