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. – State Superintendent John White issued the following message to school leaders regarding the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The message led the Department’s weekly newsletter.
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing today regarding two issues requiring immediate attention.
First, as you likely know, there have yet to be any reported cases of the Coronavirus in Louisiana. At the same time, school system leaders are right to have concerns and to be proactive about resolving them.
For information regarding the Coronavirus itself, you may wish to consult the Louisiana Department of Health website, which has regularly updated information about the disease, prevention, and any occurrences in Louisiana. The Department of Education has also created a brief Frequently Asked Questions document that is specific to the concerns of school systems and that will be regularly updated as the Coronavirus impact becomes better known.
Second, the MFP Task Force met two weeks ago in order to create a recommendation to BESE regarding the 2020-2021 MFP formula. The Task Force, whose recommendations are non-binding, debated the issue at length, ultimately recommending that the board develop a formula that increases the base per pupil cost in the MFP by 2.75 percent. The Task Force further recommended that school systems whose average teacher salary does not meet or exceed the Southern regional average dedicate at least 50 percent of the increase in base per pupil revenue to increases in educator pay.
The non-binding recommendation from the Task Force is one source of information the Department will use in recommending a formula to BESE. By close of business Friday, March 6, the Department will post a recommended formula and will send to school systems an estimate of the financial impact this recommended formula would have on each local school system. BESE will then take up the recommended formula at its committee meetings Tuesday, March 10. Upon BESE’s approval, a formula will be submitted to the Legislature for its consideration.
I appreciate your attention to both of these important matters.
As always, thank you for all you do for our children,
John
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