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
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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
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Policy Guidance
State Advisory Groups
The LDOE facilitates over a dozen councils, committees, task forces, and other groups.
St. Tammany Parish’s Carra "Beth" Melton selected to lead statewide initiative focused on enhancing math fluency
(BATON ROUGE, LA) - The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) announced Carra “Beth” Melton of Bayou Woods Elementary in St. Tammany Parish as the 2025 Louisiana Public Interest Fellow.
The Louisiana Public Interest Fellowship provides an accomplished educator with the support and resources to lead a high-impact initiative that benefits students and schools across the state. Melton’s fellowship project will focus on enhancing math fluency, aligning with Louisiana’s statewide education priority emphasizing math instruction from foundational to advanced skills.
“The Louisiana Public Interest Fellowship gives some of the top educators in the state the support they need to take their big idea and make an impact that can resonate beyond their parish,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley.
Melton teaches math, science, and social studies to third-grade students in St. Tammany Parish Public Schools. Her fellowship project focuses on enhancing math fluency and improving students' ability to solve word problems. By emphasizing the development of both numerical skills and the cognitive processes involved in interpreting and solving word problems, this initiative seeks to equip students with the tools they need to succeed in mathematics and beyond. Importantly, this initiative recognizes the crucial role of parents in their child’s math development and aims to support and involve them through the creation of math resources and distribution of math kits.
As the 2025 Louisiana Public Interest Fellow, Melton will be recognized at the 19th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala, co-sponsored by Dream Teachers.
About the Louisiana Public Interest Fellowship
The Louisiana Public Interest Fellowship is a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Each year, the fellowship supports an outstanding educator in leading a statewide initiative aligned with Louisiana’s education priorities. Past projects have focused on areas such as literacy, career readiness, educator recruitment, and student engagement. Since its launch in 2018, the fellowship has helped educators take their ideas beyond the classroom and make a lasting difference for Louisiana students.
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