Providing All Louisiana Students with Opportunities to Learn

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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
Students with disabilities earn 1.6 point improvement

(BATON ROUGE, LA) - The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) released graduation data today for the 2022-2023 school year. The state’s overall cohort graduation rate increased and is now above 83%. The 2022-2023 cohort graduation rate is 83.2%, up from 82.7% the previous year.

“I’m appreciative of every educator and parent for helping more students reach this important milestone,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “Even as we recognize this upward trend, we must remain focused on our true goal of ensuring all students graduate ready for a career, college, or service. I look forward to our continued work of adding increased value to a Louisiana diploma.”

The graduation rate for students with disabilities is up 1.6 points to 77.7%. This is the latest data showing academic progress for students with disabilities. The overall academic proficiency rate for students with disabilities has also improved three years in a row.

Louisiana has worked alongside stakeholders to engage in a number of continuous improvements for students with disabilities. These include:

  • Developing the Special Education Playbook for System Leaders, a resource based on research and the experiences of schools that have successfully narrowed the learning gap and accelerated academic outcomes for students with disabilities
  • Enhancing family support and improved dispute resolution by hiring Louisiana’s first special education ombudsman
  • Increasing school and system support through on-site technical assistance and professional learning
  • Increasing funding for family support agencies
  • Working alongside independent reviewers to improve outdated special education practices and policies

Overall, there were 40,930 Louisiana high school graduates in 2022-2023. That number is up from 2021-2022 when there were 40,648 graduates.

In June, Louisiana approved a revised accountability system that sets higher expectations for students, schools, and systems. Set to launch in 2025-2026, the revised system places an emphasis on core academic content and meaningful career and college preparation. It also honors schools for offering more work-based learning opportunities. 

Cohort Graduation Rate Data

Additional cohort graduation rate data is available on the LDOE website.

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