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.
(BATON ROUGE, LA) - The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is launching a new program that will provide thousands of families with $1,000 tutoring vouchers to help children learn to read. The Steve Carter Literacy Tutoring Program connects families of eligible K-5 public school students with high-quality literacy tutors. Starting today, Louisiana families can visit the online portal to learn more about the program and share their email address to be notified when student registration opens this year.
“This voucher is another tool in the toolbox to help kids learn to read,” said State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley. “Steve Carter believed in helping kids – that’s what this program does.”
The Steve Carter Literacy Tutoring Program is named after the late Baton Rouge State Representative. The program is the result of Act 415 of the 2021 Legislative Session (RS 17:4032.1). The LDOE has invested $40 million to fund the program as part of the state’s comprehensive strategy to combat Louisiana’s literacy crisis.
School systems are now identifying eligible students and will notify families if they are eligible. Students in grades K-3 are eligible if they scored below proficient on their beginning of year screener. Students in grades 4-5 are eligible if they scored below Mastery in ELA on the spring 2022 LEAP assessment. Families who are unsure of how their child scored should contact their school for additional information.
Eligible families can expect communication from their school system about the program and how to access the user platform. Once student registration opens, families can use the online portal at www.louisianatutoringinitiative.com to register, browse available tutors, and manage their $1,000 voucher. Families who have additional questions after contacting their school system can email LouisianaLiteracy@la.gov.
This program connects families with high-quality tutors who have been approved through the LDOE. Tutors are certified teachers in elementary or reading or have a degree in education, English, or another subject indicative of expertise in reading and literacy.
Once student registration opens, families will utilize the online portal at www.louisianatutoringinitiative.com to choose from the approved list of tutoring providers. In some cases, a child’s school system may be a tutoring provider. Tutoring appointments are scheduled between the parent/guardian and tutor and may take place at a mutually agreed upon location that may be a physical or virtual location. Multi-lingual tutors will be available to accommodate students who do not speak English as a primary language.