School is out in Baton Rouge today so that the teachers’ unions can bring their red-clad troops to protest Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education reform package as it moves through committees at the Capitol.

On tap this morning at the House Education Committee hearing are three bills, all by Rep. Steve Carter:

• HB976, which is the main bill in the package. It establishes a statewide voucher system, provides for the transfer of failing public schools to the Recovery School District and facilitates a few educational alternatives to traditional schools;
• HB974, which reforms teacher tenure and reorients teacher compensation toward performance;  and
• HB933, which creates and provides for an early childhood care and education network.

It’s hectic up there, but the three bills all have the votes to get out of the committee – so the sound and fury that’ll come out of this won’t mean much.

Our Tom Bonnette is up there and he’ll file a report. We expect to have video of the proceedings later today.