Education Leader Says Jindal Budget Guts Student Testing

Superintendent John White says Gov. Bobby Jindal's proposal to strip $23 million from his agency's main office operations would damage the state's ability to measure student performance.

White told the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that Jindal's spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year so deeply cuts his agency that he would violate state and federal student testing requirements.

Jindal and White have been at odds over standardized testing tied to Common Core. The governor opposes the education standards, but White supports them.

Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols says every agency must take budget cuts. She says the reductions proposed for White's department are reasonable and White has discretion over where to slash spending.