In this issue:
BESE adopts 2024-25 MFP formula, increasing financial support for school systems
At its March meeting, BESE unanimously approved the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula for the 2024-25 school year. The new formula aligns with the recommendations of the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), adding approximately $71.3 million to the MFP to address the key areas of employee pay, workforce development, tutoring, and operational costs. BESE also unanimously adopted a separate resolution urging lawmakers to appropriate funding for a stipend of $2,000 for certificated K-12 school personnel and $1,000 for support personnel in the 2024-25 state budget.
Key components of the MFP formula include:
- $4,015 maintained as the base per pupil amount provided to school systems;
- $25 million allocated to continue the differentiated compensation provision for teacher pay;
- $2 million to provide school systems with support for apprenticeships and internships;
- $30 million allocated to support literacy and math tutoring; and
- $14.3 million added to help school systems meet rising operational expenses.
BESE has constitutional authority to develop the MFP formula and submit it to the Louisiana Legislature by March 15 each year. Per state law, the Legislature may approve or reject the formula but cannot make amendments to it. The final resolution outlining the BESE-approved formula has been submitted to the Legislature for consideration. Read more here >>
Latest BESE policy updates
Revisions to state education policy approved by BESE at its March meetings include:
- Bulletin 111 – The Louisiana School, District, and State Accountability System
- Updates proficiency scoring language to include the new ELPT Connect assessment. Full details >
- Bulletin 126 – Charter Schools
- Clarifies types of absences, provides for attendance and truancy reporting. Full details >
- Bulletin 130 – Regulations for the Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel
- Refines the personnel evaluation process to increase fairness, transparency, teacher input, and related resources. Full details >
- Bulletin 135 – Health and Safety
- Aligns policy with state law regarding provisions for immunization exemptions. Full details >
- Bulletin 136 – Louisiana Standards for Early Childhood care and Education Programs
- Repeals and reestablishes Bulletin 136 regarding Early Childhood Standards Full details >
- Bulletin 137 – Louisiana Early Learning Center Licensing Regulations
- Strengthens measures designed to protect children and provides additional clarity to early learning providers. Full details >
- Bulletin 139 – Louisiana Child Care and Development Fund Programs
- Strengthens measures designed to protect children, better ensures statewide access to quality early care and learning, and provides additional clarity to Family Child Care, in-home, and school-based child care providers. Full details >
- Bulletin 741 – Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators
- Repeals FAFSA completion graduation requirement, updates implementation date for the LEAP 2025 Civics exam. Full details >
- Clarifies types of absences, provides for attendance and truancy reporting. Full details >
- Bulletin 741 Nonpublic – Louisiana Handbook for Nonpublic School Administrators
- Aligns policy with state law regarding provisions for immunization exemptions. Full details >
- Aligns policy with state law and updates language regarding the corporal punishment permission requirement, Purple Star Award program, meningococcal disease immunization, bullying prevention, and tobacco prohibition. Full details >
- Bulletin 1706 – Regulations for Implementation of the Children with Exceptionalities Act
- Refines policy and processes related to monitoring report results, notification/processing timelines, and information access to improve efficiency and consistency. Full details >
Policy revisions approved by BESE are submitted to the Louisiana Register for public notification and comment as part of the state’s Notice of Intent (NOI) process. Current BESE NOIs may be tracked here >
Superintendent’s BESE update highlights state’s gains in post-pandemic learning recovery, early literacy efforts
In a recent report to BESE, State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley highlighted national recognition for Louisiana’s significant progress in student achievement and policy development. Dr. Brumley’s report included:
- A recent study conducted jointly by Stanford and Harvard recognizes Louisiana one of only three states in the country where average reading achievement in 2023 has exceeded 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Researchers noted that Louisiana students have recovered nearly half of the original learning loss in math, while students nationally have only made up one third of the loss in math. Read the full report here >
- Louisiana was only one of three states in the country that registered a perfect score for reading and literacy policy in ExcelinEd’s Early Literacy Matters resource. Our state has implemented all 18 of the recommendations that ExcellInEd cites as integral in driving achievement in literacy. Learn more here >
- North DeSoto High School in the DeSoto Parish School System recently received the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) Founders Award for its commitment to instructional excellence, earning a $50,000 grand prize. Learn more here >
- The LDOE’s “Let Teachers Teach” workgroup began meeting this month. The goal of the task force, chaired by 2024 Louisiana Teacher of the year Kylie Altier, is to identify and develop solutions to classroom disruptions such as excessive training and paperwork, scripted lessons, and student discipline. Learn more here >
- LDOE is seeking applications for membership on the Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) until April 8. SEAP advises and assists the Department with the provision of free and appropriate public education for individuals with disabilities across the state. More information and application link here >
- The finalists for Louisiana’s Students of the Year have been announced. Honorees include one 5th, 8th, and 12th grader from each of the state’s eight BESE regions. Winners will be announced in Baton Rouge on April 10. Learn more here >
Regular Legislative Session begins – BESE tracking multitude of education-related bills
The 2024 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session convened on March 11 and will adjourn by June 3, 2024. BESE is committed to working with its partners in the Legislature to advance an agenda that prioritizes the needs of K-12 education, and will monitor dozens of education-related bills during the session. The Board and LDOE will provide information and practical context for lawmakers throughout the process, and BESE will take positions to support or oppose key bills as necessary.
Earlier this year the Board adopted a set of principle statements to articulate its priorities and guide its activity in the Legislature. These statements emphasize BESE’s commitment to supporting students, educators, K-12 funding, early childhood learning, school system autonomy, parental rights, school choice, innovation and more.
BESE Task Force/Advisory Council update
BESE’s Nonpublic School Council met on March 19 and received updates from the LDOE on several items and issues, including: timelines and requirements of the Louisiana Scholarship Program; the School Choice program for students with certain disabilities; the LDOE 2024 Teacher Leader Summit; federal Title II and IV equitable state set-aside services; background credentialing; and recent BESE policy revisions related to teacher certification. Members also participated in a discussion regarding the state’s instructional minutes requirements. Watch the meeting video here >
BESE’s MFP Task Force will begin a series of meetings after the conclusion of the Regular Legislative Session for an in-depth examination of the components of the MFP. The goal of the meetings is to identify potential recommendations to strengthen the equitable distribution of state funds to Louisiana schools and school systems.
Upcoming BESE and LDOE meetings
March 20 – Special Education Advisory Panel
March 21 – Superintendents’ Advisory Council
March 25 – Financial Literacy Workgroup
March 27 – Artificial Intelligence Task Force
March 28 – Montessori Task Force
April 9 – BESE Committees
April 10 – BESE Meeting
Meeting dates are subject to change. For the latest scheduling information, agendas, and video streaming links, visit bese.louisiana.gov.
BESE member spotlight – Ronnie Morris
BESE President and District 6 Member Ronnie Morris is a Louisiana native and first-generation college graduate. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1995, and graduated from the LSU Flores MBA Program in 2017. He is currently a 2025 PhD candidate at Vanderbilt University.
Mr. Morris is the Founder and President of the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, WeProduceGrads, and the past Board Treasurer of the Baton Rouge BASIS School. He has also served as a Junior Achievement classroom volunteer for 15 years in local high schools and an ExxonMobil Diversity Scholars Mentor for LSU students.
Mr. Morris started his career at ExxonMobil after spending 15 years working in the railroad industry and one year teaching high school calculus and physics. During his assignment on the Global Energy Management team, he completed expat assignments in Italy and France, while also working at 27 other ExxonMobil facilities globally. He retired from ExxonMobil in 2021 after working there for 25 years.
Mr. Morris founded the LSU McCollister Leadership Awards in 2000 for students pursuing a career in education. He also founded the LSU Tom and Kathy Greene Scholarship for engineering students. In 2016, Ronnie and Allyson Morris were recognized as the College of Human Science and Education Philanthropists of the Year.
Learn more about BESE Members here >
Did you know?
- This year BESE is celebrating its 50th anniversary serving the students and families of Louisiana. Learn more about the history of the state’s K-12 Board here: https://bese.louisiana.gov/about-bese/history
- BESE maintains an online rulemaking docket to provide the public with information about proposed rules and policy revisions approved by the Board. New rules, changes to existing rules, and repeals of rules can be tracked online as they move through Louisiana’s Notice of Intent process. View the rulemaking docket and its user guide here >
- BESE will adopt the state’s first set of academic standards in Computer Science this year. These standards will ensure graduates can apply analytical and critical thinking skills to real-world situations, demonstrate digital literacy and digital citizenship skills, and utilize technology skills as employable citizens to meet workforce needs. Learn more about the standards review process here >
Connect with BESE
Visit BESE online: BESE.louisiana.gov
Follow BESE on X: x.com/BESE_LA
Watch BESE on YouTube: youtube.com/@louisianaBESE
Attend BESE meetings: https://bese.louisiana.gov/meetings/meeting-calendars