Louisiana Board of Elementary & Secondary Education

President’s Welcome

It is my privilege to serve as President of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). As we consider the history of public education in Louisiana, our recent progress, and the link between public education and quality of life, the potential for our children and Louisiana's future is more promising than ever. Over the last decade, Louisiana has achieved dramatic improvements in the quality of K-12 public education, largely due to the reform and revision of ineffective policies, programs and practices. Consequently, our state is now recognized as a national leader in the education reform landscape.

Despite our progress, we must acknowledge there is still much work we must do to ensure our next generation has the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive not only in school, but throughout their lives. We urgently need to achieve marked improvement in student achievement so that our children are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to compete nationally and globally.

As the 11-member policy-making board for K-12 public education in Louisiana, BESE must aggressively advance and meaningful change that is in the best interest of children. We must identify what is working and what is not. Then we must respond by adopting and implementing policies to ensure our resources and efforts are focused on supporting the success of our districts, schools, administrators, teachers, and, above all, our children.

We will not rest until every school across our state is a high-performing school.I look forward to working with you to provide each and every student in Louisiana with the world-class education they deserve and to ensure that every student is performing at or above grade level.

Best regards,

Penny Dastugue