James Mosteller is a Legislative Director for ExcelinEd in Action.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry made education a top priority in his 2024 address to the joint legislature, setting his sights on early literacy, math, improved classroom environments and educational opportunity. The legislature and Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education delivered with the approval of transformative education initiatives.
Louisiana approved a revised school accountability framework in June that provides a simple, transparent and rigorous evaluation of student achievement using a 100-point grading scale.
The new “Grow, Achieve and Thrive” framework will grade the performance of public schools and school systems. It expects students to grow, achieve proficiency and thrive after graduation.
Schools will be measured based on the percentage of their students who are:
“K-12 education in Louisiana is on a positive trajectory, and this improved and simplified standard for measuring school performance will support that momentum going forward,” said Ronnie Morris, president of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). “With high value placed on core skills development, academic growth and work-based learning opportunities, the accountability revisions adopted today strengthen Louisiana’s foundation for learning and will open the door to meaningful opportunities for more students.”
The reforms will make it easier for parents, educators and the public to understand exactly how schools are performing.
The plan will take effect for the 2025-26 school year. However, simulated Accountability Scorecards will also be provided for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years.
The Louisiana legislature adopted a phased-in universal ESA program with the passage of SB 313. The bill was authored by Senate Education Committee Chair Rick Edmonds and signed into law by Gov. Landry in June, making Louisiana the eighth state in the nation to adopt a universal ESA program.
This monumental law was also championed by Rep. Laurie Schlegel, Rep. Julie Emerson (who authored the House companion bill), Rep. Rhonda Butler and Sen. Beth Mizell. It creates the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (LA GATOR) Scholarship Program, which replaces the state’s current Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence voucher program. The change takes effect beginning in March 2025.
Participating families will use funds for tuition, textbooks and instructional materials, fees for examinations and tuition for dual enrollment courses. The Board is also authorized to approve additional educational expenses and determine how much will be allocated to participating families.
Current public-school students, incoming kindergarteners and children from families making up to 250% of the federal poverty level ($75,000 for a family of four) are eligible for scholarships in the first phase of the program, with an enrollment preference for the more than 5,500 students currently participating in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence program.
In the second phase, current public school students, incoming kindergarteners and children from families making up to 400% of the federal poverty level ($106,000 for a family of four) are eligible for scholarships.
By the program’s third phase, LA GATOR scholarships will be universal and available to all families statewide.
The legislation balances school accountability and autonomy by requiring schools to measure scholarship students’ academic progress using a nationally recognized norm-referenced test or any English and mathematics exam required by the state accountability system.
The legislation is subject to further funding; legislators are expected to consider appropriations for the program during the 2025 legislative session.
Rep. Kim Carver’s HB 267 requires math screeners to be administered three times a year for students in grades K-3 to better identify students who need interventions. The law requires all students to be administered a screener within the first 30 days of the school year, in December and in April. Parents of students who have skills below grade level must be notified and given information about the specific, individualized interventions and supports the school will provide to improve the student’s math skills. Progress updates must then be sent to parents throughout the year.
This new law is another step in tackling declining math proficiency in Louisiana and across the country.
Legislators on both sides of the aisle united to create phone-free schools. SB 207, signed by Gov. Landry, prohibits K-12 students from possessing cell phones during instructional hours starting with the upcoming school year. The bill, authored by Sen. Beth Mizell, requires that if a student brings a cell phone or smart phone into a school building or on school grounds during the instructional day, the phone must be turned off and stowed away.
With this important new law, state leaders have shown their dedication to protecting students and fostering focused learning environments.
Gov. Landry, Louisiana legislative leaders and the State Board should be proud of their unwavering support of student-centered education policies. Their efforts to uphold high expectations for students, improve math outcomes, empower parents with opportunity and ensure phone-free schools mark significant progress toward creating a better educational system for all. As we look ahead to the 2025 legislative session, policymakers are sure to build on these accomplishments and work toward a brighter future for students in the Pelican State.
