Providing All Louisiana Students with Opportunities to Learn

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Welcome to the Louisiana Department of Education

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) serves over 800,000 students in a growing portfolio of educational settings. As the state agency that oversees early childhood and K-12 education in Louisiana, the LDOE is committed to providing every child with the opportunities they need to graduate high school ready to succeed in a career, college, or service. The LDOE is responsible for a variety of services such as policy and regulations, funding, school oversight, research, and training.

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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.

Meet Dr. Brumley

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

Learn about our priorities

Employment Opportunities

Careers at LDOE

Join the Louisiana Department of Education as we strive for excellence.

View current openings

Policy Guidance

State Advisory Groups

The LDOE facilitates over a dozen councils, committees, task forces, and other groups.

Learn more about our education groups

Louisiana earns high marks for empowering parents in their children’s education and supporting education freedom

(BATON ROUGE, LA - September 12, 2022) - Louisiana ranks top 10 nationally in a new report card on empowering parents in their children’s education and supporting education freedom. The Heritage Foundation released its first-ever Education Freedom Report Card, and Louisiana is ninth. Louisiana scored higher than the majority of states in the report’s four main categories of school choice, regulatory freedom, academic transparency, and return on investment for education spending.

“I’m pleased that we’ve been recognized for our efforts to ensure educational freedom in Louisiana,” said State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley. “We should continue to pursue efforts that remove unnecessary bureaucracy, increase transparency, and empower families to choose the school that fits their needs.”

Louisiana earned its highest marks for regulatory freedom, where it ranked third. The report touts the state’s multiple routes to becoming an educator, with 56 percent having earned alternative certification.

Louisiana is No. 19 in both school choice and transparency. The report gave Louisiana positive marks for allowing parents to choose among school options and respecting the autonomy of homeschool families. Louisiana law also allows families to view public school learning materials. Louisiana ranked No. 25 on return on investment for education spending.

The report also recommended opportunities for further growth for Louisiana children and families. These include improving student outcomes, increasing teacher certification pathways, expanding access for families, and enhancing school choice options for public and nonpublic schools.

The Education Freedom Report Card comes as the Louisiana Department of Education is recognizing its first Celebrate Freedom Week September 12-16. As part of legislation passed this year, school systems across the state will hold their own Celebrate Freedom Week this month in conjunction with Constitution Day.

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