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
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Policy Guidance
State Advisory Groups
The LDOE facilitates over a dozen councils, committees, task forces, and other groups.
Family Literacy Engagement workgroup aims to improve family communication around literacy
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The parent is a child’s first teacher, and the Louisiana Department of Education is bringing educators and leaders together from across the state to help support that bond. The Department created the Family Literacy Engagement Workgroup to develop a strategic plan focused on improving family communication around literacy.
“Families play an essential role in the literacy development of their children,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “Our goal through this workgroup is to ensure all families have the knowledge and tools to help their child progress no matter their age or where they are on their literacy journey.”
The workgroup is composed of 27 Louisiana educators and leaders. Members represent education from birth through post secondary and include parents, public advocates, educators and leaders from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
"This work is so important for families in Louisiana,” said workgroup member and Jefferson Parish Schools Executive Master Teacher Breonne LaSalle. “We need to meet families where they are and give them the diverse support and resources they need to help their children throughout their literacy development."
One of the group’s first actions is to develop an exhaustive list of ideas and strategies to promote ongoing communication with families around their child’s literacy development. They will then turn their attention to providing a framework of support for school systems to effectively improve and maintain positive, consistent and responsive communication with families.
The Family Literacy Engagement Workgroup held its first meeting in December. Future meetings are planned for January, February and March. This workgroup is part of an effort by the Department to expand literacy initiatives across the state. The Department wants to ensure accessible opportunities are provided at the state and local levels for all families to engage with their child’s literacy education at all ages and stages.
Research has documented how two-way teacher-parent communication can lead to greater parental involvement, improved student engagement and academic achievement. Family engagement in schools contributes to positive student outcomes, including improved child and student achievement, decreased disciplinary issues, improved parent-teacher and teacher-student relationships and improved school environment.
A comprehensive review of the literature on family engagement in early childhood found that all families from diverse socioeconomic, educational and racial/ethnic backgrounds were interested in their child’s educational success and could effectively support their child’s learning at home and school when provided with the information and guidance that they needed.
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