Featured News and Releases

Held annually in September to coincide with Constitution Day and Constitution Week, Celebrate Freedom Week is a statewide observance that promotes civic understanding and constitutional literacy among Louisiana students.

The event is part of Louisiana’s annual Celebrate Freedom Week and will culminate with two Louisiana students earning a trip to compete in the Ronald Reagan Oratory Competition finals at the Reagan Presidential Library in California.

The Louisiana Department of Education is matching the state’s $5 million investment in the Steve Carter Tutoring Program for the 2025–2026 school year. This brings the total investment in the program this year to $10 million.

To honor America’s 250th anniversary and Celebrate Freedom Week, the Louisiana Department of Education and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute have launched a statewide student oratory competition.

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), in partnership with Dream Teachers, honored the state’s most outstanding educators at the 19th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala.

The Louisiana Department of Education released 2025 LEAP results showing overall student proficiency in grades 3–8 increased to 35 percent, up one point from last year. Notably, math proficiency rose by two percentage points across these grades.

The Louisiana Department of Education recognized outstanding education professionals from across the state who help create the conditions for student success. The LDOE announced overall state honorees for school support employees and school health service providers, and celebrated schools leading the way in student physical activity.

The Louisiana Department of Education released end-of-year literacy screener results for students in grades K–3. The data reveal a 17-point increase in the percentage of students reading on or above grade level from the start to the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

Overall honorees are Mary Mack Thornton from Caddo Parish, Rylann Renee Viator from Vermilion Parish, and Neal Pramod Tandon from Jefferson Parish

Louisiana has reached its highest-ever ranking in the U.S. News & World Report Best States rankings, climbing to 37th for Pre-K–12 education. This marks the state’s third straight year of academic gains, driven by statewide strategy and the commitment of educators and families.

Created in collaboration with Barksdale Air Force Base, this centralized online tool is designed to support the academic success of Louisiana’s military-connected students and their families.

The number of eligible students the program can serve depends on the funding allocation approved by the Louisiana Legislature during the current session. Governor Jeff Landry requested just over $93 million for the program in his executive budget, which would serve approximately 12,000 students.

The Louisiana Department of Education has developed the Freedom Framework Diploma Endorsement, a new recognition for high school students who demonstrate excellence in civics education.

The Louisiana Department of Education is now accepting applications for its 2025 High School Summer Internship Program, a hands-on learning opportunity that reflects the state’s commitment to redesigning the high school experience and expanding real-world opportunities for students.

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) announced changes to grade 3-8 social studies testing that will cut assessment time in half, while more closely aligning with the state’s more rigorous Freedom Framework standards.

The Louisiana Department of Education is updating its Freedom Framework social studies standards to reflect President Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

This new program awards scholarship accounts to eligible students that parents can use for a menu of approved education services like tuition and fees at over 240 nonpublic schools, tutoring, and other approved resources.

The Louisiana Department of Education named its 24 finalists for the 2025 Louisiana Students of the Year competition. The honorees include one 5th, 8th, and 12th grader from each of the state’s eight BESE regions.

Louisiana students will have access to more quality courses starting next school year. A new state law that passed in 2024 expanded options available to students and parents as part of the state’s Course Choice program.

This unique scholarship provides $1,000 awards to Jump Start graduates who earn both a Jump Start credential and a Louisiana high school diploma, and who plan to enroll full-time in an LCTCS Construction Pathway Program or an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) training program in the summer or fall immediately following high school graduation.