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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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.
Overall Louisiana Class of 2019 graduation rate decreases to 80.1 percent
BATON ROUGE, La. - The class of 2019 recorded a record-high 42,650 on time graduates, according to results released today by the Louisiana Department of Education. The overall cohort graduation rate, however, decreased from 81.4 percent in 2018 to 80.1 percent in 2019. The graduation data released today reflects the four year adjusted cohort graduation rate, which tracks on time graduation.
"We are pleased to celebrate the coordinated efforts resulting in more Louisiana students earning a high school diploma than in previous years," said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. "With the good news also comes concern, however, as the graduation rate for the cohort fell from the previous year."
The class of 2019 also saw Louisiana's highest number of TOPS scholarships and students earning college and career credentials.
"Moving forward, we see real opportunities to solidify career and technical education pathways that lead to higher wage jobs directly from high school," said Dr. Brumley. "Also, we must capitalize on possibilities to further connect our high schools and universities through our Dual Enrollment programming."
Louisiana graduated a record number of students on time in 2019 at 42,650, up from 40,131 in 2018. The number of graduates earning early college credit and industry career credentials rose 9.7 percent from 24,841 students in 2018 to 27,260 in 2019. The Class of 2019 also saw growth in the number of students who were eligible for the TOPS scholarships. This class had 22,098 students eligible for TOPS, a 3.8 percent increase from the 21,280 students who were eligible in 2018.
View all data in the High School Performance library on the Department's website.
- 2005-2019 State School System Cohort Graduation and Credential Rate Summary
- 2019 School Cohort Graduation and Credential Rate Summary
- 2019 State School System and School Cohort Grad Rates by Subgroups
- 2019 State School System School Cohort Credential Rates by Subgroups
- 2019 TOPS Eligibility by School
"While the main priority of the Department is guiding our systems and schools through the reopening process, reviewing data is one of the key priorities of my 100 day entry plan," said Dr. Brumley. "The graduation and credential data released today will most certainly factor into the development of our short and long term goals. It's our mission to ensure every student is career or college ready when they leave our schools."
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