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) - The Louisiana Department of Education today released the latest results of the state’s Teacher Preparation Quality Rating System. Required by federal regulations, the rating system is designed to provide teacher preparation providers with meaningful information for improvement, identify programs of excellence, and provide aspiring educators with information on selecting quality programs.
Available in the LDOE’s preparation library, these state Quality Rating Scores from the 2020-2021 school year are the highest since the accountability's inception in 2017-2018.
Just over 95 percent of Louisiana’s teacher preparation provider programs maintained or improved their rating. The state’s undergraduate pathway score increased by .6 to a 2.6, which is Level 3 Effective. The state’s post-baccalaureate pathway score increased by .4 to a 2.8, which is also a Level 3 Effective.
An undergraduate teacher preparation pathway consists of earning a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree program. A post-baccalaureate teacher preparation pathway is best suited for individuals who already hold a Bachelor's degree that become alternatively certified.
Overall domain scores and ratings improved in both pathways.
- Post-baccalaureate pathways are scoring higher than undergraduate.
- 78% of pathways increased their score or remained the same, and 85% of pathways increased their level or remained the same.
- 52% of the pathways increased their domain score for Meeting Workforce Needs.
This is the first year the results will be used by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to inform continued program approval decisions. Previous years were for information purposes only.
A teacher preparation program is a post-secondary, state-approved course of study. Completion signifies that an enrolled teacher candidate has met all state educational and training requirements to be recommended for initial certification.
The system rates providers on a four point scale: Level 1 Ineffective, Level 2 Needs Improvement, Level 3 Effective and Level 4 Highly Effective. The teacher preparation quality rating is based on three domains:
- Meeting Educator Workforce Needs, as measured by the number of candidates placed in high-need schools and the number of program completers in high-need certification areas;
- Teacher Quality, as measured by the value-added results on the state standardized assessment of program completers.
- The profiles for each provider are a tool for aspiring teachers to use when selecting a program that meets their needs. They also support decision making for providers and LDOE around supports needed for improvement.