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
Request Information
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.
BATON ROUGE, La. – For the first time in our state’s history, the Louisiana Department of Education (the Department), in partnership with Dream Teachers, recognized and celebrated some of Louisiana’s most exceptional early childhood educators through the Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year program. In addition, educators who have demonstrated excellence in their very first year in the classroom were recognized with the first-ever New Teacher of the Year program. The winners for these inaugural awards were announced during the 16th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala, held at the World War II Museum in New Orleans.
The 2023 Early Childhood Teacher of the Year is Annie Richardson of Caneview K-8 Headstart in West Baton Rouge Parish; the 2023 Early Childhood Leader of the Year is Rochelle Wilcox of Wilcox Academy in Orleans Parish; the 2023 New Teacher of the Year is Jordyn Vicknair of East Ascension High School, in Ascension Parish.
In partnership with Dream Teachers, the Department annually recognizes and celebrates the state's leading educators through Louisiana’s Educator Awards Programs. These programs provide an opportunity to acknowledge teachers and leaders who are making exceptional gains with students. This year, the Department and Dream Teachers also celebrated the state semifinalists, finalists, elementary, middle, high school and overall winners for Louisiana Teacher and Principal of the Year, New Teacher of the Year Finalists, Early Childhood Teacher and Leader Finalists, Milken Educator Award recipients, Louisiana’s Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching honorees, and the recipient for the H. Norman Saurage III Service Award during this prestigious event. Information about the award programs celebrated at the Gala can be found on the Department’s Awards page.
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