Welcome to the Louisiana Department of Education
About the Louisiana Department of Education
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) provides guidance and support to all publicly funded early childhood centers and elementary and secondary schools in Louisiana. Specifically, the department provides tools and resources to schools and school systems to support classroom instruction, assessments, workforce development and college and career preparation. Additionally, the department provides families and the public with transparent reporting of center, school, and school system performance and quality through the Louisiana School Finder.
To stay connected with the LDOE and receive updates on our work and our resources, visit our newsroom and our newsletter subscriptions page.
Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE)
The LDOE is the administrative arm of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). BESE was established by the 1974 Louisiana Constitution. The Board is composed of 11 members: eight elected by the citizens of Louisiana’s eight BESE districts, and three appointed by the governor of Louisiana to represent the state at-large. Together, these members adopt and enact policies governing the elementary and secondary schools of Louisiana.
Louisiana's Education Priorities
Louisiana's education priorities maintain a clear focus on what matters most for academic achievement.
- Early childhood leading to kindergarten readiness
- Literacy instruction aligned to the Science of Reading
- Math instruction from foundational to advanced skills
- Opportunities ensuring a meaningful high school experience
- An effective teacher for every student
- Expand educational choice for students and families
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If you have questions, including public records requests, questions about licensure, or other types of inquiries, please see our contact us page.
Louisiana State Superintendent
Dr. Cade Brumley
Dr. Brumley is a Louisiana native who has dedicated his career to serving children, parents, and educators.
Back to the Basics
Louisiana's Education Priorities
From being ready to learn on the first day of kindergarten to thriving in a career, college
Employment Opportunities
Careers at LDOE
Join the Louisiana Department of Education as we strive for excellence.
Policy Guidance
State Advisory Groups
The LDOE facilitates over a dozen councils, committees, task forces, and other groups.
Recommendations include best practices and expert guidance to support school system leaders before, during, and after a hurricane
(BATON ROUGE, LA) - As students and teachers across the state begin to prepare for back to school, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is launching a new resource to help school systems prepare for the peak of hurricane season. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley released the LDOE’s first Hurricane Preparedness Playbook during an event today at Lakewood Elementary in Luling.
“Louisiana’s students, families, and educators have shown unwavering resilience in the face of extraordinary adversity,” said Dr. Brumley. “These recommendations will help modernize Louisiana’s education infrastructure and equip school systems with the necessary tools to protect their facilities pre- and post-hurricane.”
The playbook includes best practices and expert guidance to support school system leaders before, during, and after a hurricane. It was developed by the LDOE’s Protect Louisiana Schools Hurricane Preparedness Commission (PLSHPC) and made possible through a partnership with AT&T.
“We have invested in Louisiana communities for more than 140 years. Our employees live and work in communities across the state. We volunteer in classrooms, and we serve on PTAs,” said David J. Aubrey, president, AT&T Louisiana. “We are proud to call Louisiana home, and we are honored to support the work of the Hurricane Preparedness Commission as they continue to strengthen our communities.”
Today’s release was hosted at Lakewood Elementary in St. Charles Parish Public Schools (SCPPS). Every school in SCPPS was impacted by Hurricane Ida, which put 300,000 kids out of school in Central and Southeast Louisiana. Lakewood Elementary’s principal, Kelli Oertling, served as a member of the PLSHPC.
About the Hurricane Preparedness Playbook
The playbook includes school and school system best practices for hurricane preparation, mitigation, response, and recovery. It represents the guidance of experts from the private sector, academia, and government.
About the Protect Louisiana Schools Hurricane Preparedness Commission
Dr. Brumley created the PLSHPC in 2021 following a period when Louisiana citizens had been catastrophically impacted by six hurricanes — two of which were among the strongest in state history. Prior to the creation of the PLSHPC, the LDOE lacked the type of resources and guidance to protect Louisiana schools. Dr. Brumley launched the Commission to fix that gross oversight. This is Louisiana’s first statewide commission of its kind. Its mission includes three main goals: empower school systems and leaders with the tools to protect their facilities pre and post-hurricane; fortify Louisiana’s core educational infrastructures; build operational best practices for school systems and leaders before, during, and after hurricanes. The following commission members contributed time and knowledge to the creation of the Hurricane Preparedness Playbook:
- Mark Abraham, Louisiana State Senator, District 25
- Ted Beasley, Executive Director of Public Affairs, LDOE
- Kendricks “Ken” Brass, Louisiana State Representative, District 58
- Karl Bruchhaus, Former Superintendent, Calcasieu Parish School Board
- Catherine Cassidey, Principal, Southside High, Lafayette Parish School System
- Sharon L. Clark, Charter Director, Sophie B. Wright High School
- Tiffany Delcour, Chief Operating Officer, New Schools for New Orleans
- Joel Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff, LDOE
- Dr. Kimberly L. Foster, Dean, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University
- Dr. Carol J. Friedland, Director, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
- Spencer Harris, Child Welfare & Attendance Supervisor, Livingston Parish
- Matt Johnson, Chief Strategy Officer, Louisiana Department of Education
- Talé D. Lockett, CEO, Algiers Charter School Association
- Philip Martin, Former Superintendent, Terrebonne Parish School District
- Dr. Elizabeth Matthews, Assistant Professor, College of Engineering & Science, Louisiana Tech University
- Kelli Oertling, Principal, Lakewood Elementary, St. Charles Parish Public Schools
- Mark Richards, Emergency and Security Studies, Tulane University
- Jen Roberts, CEO, Agenda for Children
- Trevis A. Thompson, School Safety Officer, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness
- Doris Voitier, Superintendent, St. Bernard Parish Public Schools
- Anna Williamson, Chief Program Officer, Agenda For Children
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