Every child should have access to a high-quality education, ensuring every Louisiana resident has a chance to succeed. Louisiana cannot have a bright economic future without a workforce equipped with the skills and training necessary to compete in a 21st century economy. Revamping Louisiana’s educational system stands as an economic imperative—and a moral one too.
Virtual learning and “micro-schools” are things we’ve all learned about this year, but what do they actually mean for Louisiana kids and parents? Join us Friday at 2 p.m. for a live PeliCast with Dr. Lonnie Luce, Louisiana State Director of Charter Schools USA and Executive Director of Blended and Online School Solutions, as we...
How are school closures impacting Louisiana’s workforce? Today at 1:10 p.m. on the PeliCast, we dive into this topic with Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Co.’s Kim Carver and Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Economic Competitiveness Liz Smith!
Our new State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley joins the PeliCast! Listen in as we discuss current and future plans for Louisiana schools and Dr. Brumley gives his thoughts on solutions to expand school choice in our state. You won’t want to miss this one!
COVID-19 has taught us many lessons, but something that’s become abundantly clear in recent months is a fact that many Louisiana families and advocates have already known for a long time: our state’s education status quo is broken, and an urgent fix is required. To solve this problem, the Pelican Institute developed a comprehensive policy roadmap...
Louisiana Federation for Children Regional Government Affairs Director Kelli Bottger joins the PeliCast to talk about her experiences as a Louisiana educator and why we must expand options to give our state’s children a school that fits their needs. Send us any questions you have for Kelli or our Education Policy Director Ethan J. Melançon...
Some of Louisiana’s greatest innovations have emerged in the wake of natural disasters. Now, as we work through reopening schools, we have a new opportunity to think outside the box and solve one of our most urgent issues: empowering parents with options to choose an education that best fits their children’s individual needs. Education Savings...
BESE members Holly Boffy for BESE and Ashley Ellis for BESE District 5 are joining our first Back to School Week PeliCast on Tuesday at 4 p.m! We’ll talk about the current COVID-19 challenges schools and education leaders are facing and also plans for keeping students engaged and learning during this time.
We all remember the first day of school, but this year is clearly different than any other we’ve experienced. While some students will carry a mask and hand sanitizer along with their other usual classroom materials, many are not even getting the option of returning to the classroom. Desks and textbooks are being replaced by...
As schools start back, many questions are on the minds of parents across Louisiana. Tune into the PeliCast Tuesday at 4 p.m., as Reason Foundation’s Director of School Choice Corey DeAngelis joins us to discuss how schools are handling the switch to online instruction and other options for parents to keep their children engaged and...
There is no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting effect on the way our country delivers education. And while Louisianans are certainly no strangers to national disasters that upend normal life, our state has also demonstrated the importance of innovating in the face of adversity. Consider the case of Hurricane Katrina. Following the...
Today, in a landmark victory for First Amendment and school choice champions, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued a ruling in one of the most anticipated cases of this term, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. At issue was whether Montana violated the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause by prohibiting families who choose to enroll...
Education reform advocate Rick Hess joins this episode of the PeliCast! Rick is a resident scholar and the director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where he works on K–12 and higher ed issues. He is also an author, a regular contributor to Forbes and The Hill, and serves as the executive...
The COVID-19 pandemic has made us more reliant on the internet than ever before. And while it has served as an essential tool for staying connected with our friends, family and colleagues, it has also proven especially important for one particular group of Louisianans – students. Louisiana students were in the middle of finishing up...
Today, in an eight to three vote, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) selected Dr. Cade Brumley as the next state Superintendent of Education. The following is a statement from Ethan Melancon, director of education policy at the Pelican Institute, regarding the selection. “The Pelican Institute would like to extend a warm congratulations...