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.
School Choice: Meet Educational Freedom
School Choice: Meet Educational Freedom
For nearly three decades, there’s been a movement underway to not only improve and modernize public education but also help parents in search of non-traditional educational options for their child’s education beyond homeschooling, which remains quite popular and continues to grow. The reasons are simple: (1) many believe that our current structure of education was...
Small Gains In Reading, Still A Ways to Go
Small Gains In Reading, Still A Ways to Go
This week the Louisiana Department of Education released the annual Fall 2022 Reading Report, which is a summary of the results of reading screeners for public school students enrolled in kindergarten through third grade. Louisiana state law mandates administration of the screener in the first 30 days of each school year and public reporting of...
School Choice Wins Big in National Elections: Next Up, Louisiana
School Choice Wins Big in National Elections: Next Up, Louisiana
Last week, all eyes were on the national TV networks’ blue and red maps as the 2022 midterm election results came in. For those looking for a big partisan shake-up, it turned out to be a dud. But for those watching with an eye toward school choice, the results were more than promising. Voters overwhelmingly...
Why Aren’t Schools Using Their Funding to Help Kids Prepare for College and Careers?
Why Aren’t Schools Using Their Funding to Help Kids Prepare for College and Careers?
Last week, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) shared a document with members of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) showing large sums of state and federal funding that is going unspent or has been declined by schools for critical high school programming. This is funding that could be paying for students to...
Op-Ed: Louisiana NAEP Results: Higher Rankings, But Fewer Students Achieving
Op-Ed: Louisiana NAEP Results: Higher Rankings, But Fewer Students Achieving
Originally published in The Center Square The U.S. Department of Education released 2022 results for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which measures fourth and eighth grade students’ achievement in reading and math in individual states. Louisiana’s results, compared to results published in 2019 when the test was last given, were as follows: On...
St. Tammany Business Leaders Take Action In Education
St. Tammany Business Leaders Take Action In Education
There is much work to be done to improve our K-12 public schools in Louisiana. One of the most vital ways to enact change and improve our schools at the local level is for citizens and community leaders to ask the tough questions to those running for school board. That is why we recently released...
BESE Can Delay, But Stronger Accountability Is Coming to Louisiana
BESE Can Delay, But Stronger Accountability Is Coming to Louisiana
For the second time, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) deferred action on a proposal that would strengthen Louisiana’s flawed K-12 public school accountability and rating system. While that’s disappointing, the good news is that approval is imminent. For over a year, the board has been studying ways to more transparently report...
Homeschool Resource For Louisiana Families
Homeschool Resource For Louisiana Families
The Pelican Institute’s Vision for Education: Every Louisiana family should be able to choose the school or educational environment that best fits the needs of their child. Families have multiple options, including public schools, public charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Pelican works to expand these and other opportunities for Louisiana families. We have partnered...
Louisiana Schools Need Leadership, Not Lower Expectations
Louisiana Schools Need Leadership, Not Lower Expectations
Last week the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents–a network of public school superintendents from across the state–unveiled a ridiculous proposal to “strengthen” the state’s rating and accountability system for public schools. They hailed it as a more “fair” and “equitable” way of rating school performance. Yet, the proposal would actually set Louisiana’s education system back...
Louisiana’s TANF Woes Are Connected to DCFS Concerns
Louisiana’s TANF Woes Are Connected to DCFS Concerns
Over the past few months, tragedies involving abused and neglected children and a “toxic” work environment at the state Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) have dominated Louisiana headlines. The Advocate reported that “crippling staff shortages, toxic work environments, and escalating caseloads are causing an exodus of Louisiana’s child welfare workers, and Louisiana legislators said that...
All Schools In Louisiana Matter
All Schools In Louisiana Matter
Earlier this week, I read an article about the alarming decline in student achievement in public schools nationally since the COVID-19 pandemic. The article notes how frustration with failing schools (many were failing long before the pandemic) is leading more parents to transfer to private schools, home study, or other educational options. The article was...
Pelican Institute Releases School Board Candidate Questions
Pelican Institute Releases School Board Candidate Questions
There is much work to be done to ensure that Louisiana’s kids are prepared for success and that our state economy grows. Roughly one-third of students in public schools are on grade level. Thousands graduate each year without the skills to get a great job or to enter college without needing remediation. We can and...
How are federal COVID recovery dollars being used to reverse student learning loss?
How are federal COVID recovery dollars being used to reverse student learning loss?
A few weeks ago, we wrote about Louisiana public school students’ performance on the 2022 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) test and what their scores tell us about learning loss since the COVID-19 pandemic. The takeaway was that, while results show improvement over the prior year, Louisiana remains far from being fully recovered. Only three...
Are Louisiana Schools Preparing Kids for College and Careers?
Are Louisiana Schools Preparing Kids for College and Careers?
Louisiana’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has been considering changes to the K-12 school accountability rating system, and as part of that process, has unearthed quite a bit of data showing how well public schools are preparing kids. They have shown data in three key areas: how schools help kids meet a basic...