BESE News


 

BESE News - January 2025

Jan 22, 2025, 09:58 AM by BESE Admin

In this issue:

  • BESE, state judicial leaders unite to address K-12 student attendance issues
  • BESE installs officers for 2025
  • BESE “Bridging Success” tour visits New Orleans on January 29
  • Latest BESE policy updates
  • Upcoming BESE and LDOE meetings
  • BESE member spotlight – Conrad Appel
  • Connect with BESE

 


BESE, state judicial leaders unite to address K-12 student attendance issues

At its January meeting, BESE resolved to work with the Louisiana Supreme Court (LASC) and Governor’s office to convene a statewide summit to address the issue of truancy and chronic absenteeism in Louisiana K-12 schools. The initiative will bring together educators, legal professionals, social workers, faith-based representatives, state and local officials and other community leaders, and will convene this year.

LASC Chief Justice John Weimer addressed the Board on the issue of excessive student absenteeism and the best ways the education and judicial communities can collaborate to achieve solutions. The resulting conversation, informed by the input and recommendations of Chief Justice Weimer, Judge Blair Edwards of the Louisiana Court of Appeal, First Circuit, Judge Gail Grover of the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court, and other court officials led to the Board’s decision to develop the student attendance summit.

“Working with the judicial system and stakeholders, we will seek to uncover causal factors of truancy, improve the accuracy of reporting, and investigate potential law and policy solutions,” said BESE President Ronnie Morris. “These actions will enable us to better support children, families, and communities.”

Student attendance issues have recently been at the forefront of the education conversation in Louisiana, with BESE, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), and the state Legislature taking actions to quantify and curb truancy and chronic absenteeism. For the 2023-24 school year, the statewide truancy rate stood at 41.8 percent, with an average student number of days absent at 11.6.

BESE will issue updates on the development of the student attendance summit as content and planning is finalized. For additional information, contact Kevin Calbert at kevin.calbert@la.gov.


BESE installs officers for 2025

In December, BESE elected its Board officers for 2025. Members re-elected District 6 BESE member Ronnie Morris president, elected District 4 member Stacey Melerine vice president, and elected District 7 member Kevin Berken secretary-treasurer. The officers were sworn in at the January 10, 2025 meeting.

BESE is composed of 11 members. Eight members are elected, one from each of the state’s eight BESE districts, and three members are appointed by the governor to represent the state at-large. Board members serve a four-year term that runs concurrently with the term of the governor.

Learn more about BESE’s responsibilities and leadership structure here >

 


BESE “Bridging Success” tour visits New Orleans on January 29

BESE is traveling the state to engage with local school systems, business and industry, and economic development organizations on the state’s efforts to expand work-based learning and internship/apprenticeship initiatives across Louisiana. The “Bridging Success” statewide tour features roundtable discussions between BESE and LDOE leadership and local business and education leaders in each BESE district.

These collaborative events provide the opportunity to highlight successful work-based learning experiences at the local level and provide communities with practical information to develop and expand impactful career education and workforce training initiatives.

The next “Bridging Success” tour stop is in New Orleans on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at Ochsner Health Center/Baptist McFarland Medical Plaza at 9:00 a.m.  Representatives of local industry, career training providers, and local school systems are invited to participate. RSVP for the New Orleans event here, or contact Kevin Calbert at kevin.calbert@la.gov for more details.


Latest BESE policy updates

Recent revisions to state education policy approved by BESE include:

  • Bulletin 137 – Louisiana K-12 Early Learning Center Licensing Regulations
  • Bulletin 139 – Louisiana Child Care and Development Fund Programs
    • Strengthens measures designed to protect children, provides additional clarity to early learning providers, and aligns BESE policy with federal and state regulations. Full details >
  • Bulletin 135 – Health and Safety
  • Bulletin 741 (nonpublic) – Louisiana Handbook for Nonpublic School Administrators
    • Revisions pertaining to the dissemination of immunization information in schools. 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 >

 


Upcoming BESE and LDOE meetings

January 29 – BESE “Bridging Success” Roundtable (New Orleans)

February 3 – Accountability Council

February 6 – Advisory Council on Student Behavior and Discipline

February 12 – Teacher Advisory Council

February 12 – Early Childhood Care and Education Advisory Council

February 13 – Agricultural Education Commission

February 19 - BESE “Bridging Success” Roundtable (Mandeville)

February 20 – Superintendents’ Advisory Council

March 6 – Teacher Certification Appeals Council

March 10 – MFP Task Force

March 11 – BESE Committees

March 12 – BESE Meeting

Meeting dates are subject to change and cancellation. For the latest scheduling information, agendas, and video streaming links, visit bese.louisiana.gov.

 


BESE member spotlight – Conrad Appel

BESE At-Large Representative Conrad Appel was elected to the Louisiana Senate in 2008. From 2012 until 2015, Mr. Appel was Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education. He also served on the Finance, Commerce, Retirement, Judiciary A, and Environmental Quality Committees of the Senate.

Prior to his political career, he had served as Chairman of many public and civic organizations, including: Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans; Jefferson Economic Development Commission; Jefferson Business Council; Area Councils of the Chamber, New Orleans and the River Region; Jefferson Council of the Chamber, New Orleans and the River Region; New Orleans Chapter of the Associated General Contractors.

For more than forty years, Mr. Appel had been the President of Construction South, Inc., a general construction contractor. Prior to that, he worked at Sharp Electric, Inc. as a project engineer and Vice President. He is currently President of Construction Management Services Inc. Mr. Appel is a graduate of Louisiana State University achieving a degree as a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He is married and has two grown children.

Learn more about BESE Members here >

 


Connect with BESE

Visit BESE online: BESE.louisiana.gov

Follow BESE on social media: X | YouTube | LinkedIn

Attend BESE meetings: https://bese.louisiana.gov/meetings/meeting-calendars