I can’t start a blog entry today without saying congratulations to the LSU Tigers. The eyes of the nation have been on Louisiana for weeks as the team overcame the odds to play for the number one spot in the nation. They delivered and so did the city of New Orleans which, by all accounts, hosted two major back-to-back bowl games without a hitch. Now, let the celebration begin!

I couldn’t help but think that there is a lesson here for us. Just like LSU and Coach Les Miles, we have a lot of national “experts” watching our progress as we work to improve the education of students across our state. A lot of those experts have underestimated our ability to bounce back from adversity and to create something so special that it can literally change the lives residents across our state.

We won’t have a crystal trophy to raise or confetti raining down from the rafters when School Performance Scores are announced next fall, but my hope is that we can crown our teachers and students champions as we celebrate progress in the classroom and a first step toward creating a world-class educational system in Louisiana.