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. – Acting State Superintendent Beth Scioneaux issued the following message to school leaders regarding the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
Dear Colleagues,
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that the continued spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is impacting our communities, our schools, and our early childhood centers.
To ensure our education leaders are equipped with the most important, up-to-date information and resources, the Department has created a dedicated page on its website focused on preventing and responding to COVID-19 in schools and early learning centers. All information and resources, including the FAQ documents shared last week, will be continually updated.
Access the Department’s COVID-19 webpage here.
Key Guidance
Closures
- Louisiana Department of Health has recommended the first step in determining to close a school or early childhood center is to identify the Office of Public Health Regional Contacts and consult with these local health officials when there are concerns of COVID-19.
- When school and center closures or complete transitions to a distance learning model are necessary, notify LDOECOVID19Support@la.gov and note the school/center name, site code, location, and details of the closure.
Seat Time and Attendance
- Pursuant to current policy, Distance Education is allowed under current BESE policy and instructional minute requirements for awarding Carnegie credit may be waived as provided by law. If distance learning is utilized, attendance of all school students shall be verified each school day and at the beginning of each class period by the teacher keeping such record.
- In addition, the Governor has the authority to suspend state school attendance laws on a temporary basis during a declared emergency situation. The Department will remain in close contact with schools and the Governor’s office to assess impact and potential necessary waivers.
Special Education
- If a school closes for all students, then the school/school system is generally not required to provide services to students with disabilities during the closure. If online learning is used for all students during a closure, the school/school system must consider how it will provide online services for its students with disabilities.
Assessment
- As with past events, such as hurricanes and floods, the Department of Education will address potential assessment issues on a case-by-case basis and will make accommodations, as appropriate.
Events
- Out of an abundance of caution, the following events or convenings will be postponed or canceled:
- College and Career Readiness Commission (3/13 meeting postponed; new date TBA)
- Accountability Commission (3/16 meeting postponed; new date TBA)
- Superintendent Advisory Council (3/19 meeting canceled)
- Special Education Advisory Panel (3/25 meeting canceled)
- Student of the Year events (More information about virtual interviews will be sent to participants next week.)
- Spring 2020 Counselor Institutes (April 2020; rescheduled as virtual institutes)
- The 2020 Teacher Leader Summit is scheduled for May 27-29 and will continue as planned at this time. We are closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with state health officials and will re-evaluate these plans should the situation change. In the meantime, we recommend those with plans to attend the event refrain from making non-refundable travel arrangements. The Department will ensure prompt updates should the status of the event change.
Thank you,
Beth Scioneaux
Acting State Superintendent
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