BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) concluded its June Committee Meetings on June 9, followed by a Joint Meeting with the Louisiana Board of Regents (BOR) and the regular Board Meeting on June 10. Discussions focused on teacher compensation, artificial intelligence in education, educational choice, charter school proposals, and continued efforts to strengthen alignment between K-12 and postsecondary education.
During committee meetings, members received a report from the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) regarding the implementation process associated with the Governor's Executive Order No. 26-047, which proposes a reduction of $168 million from the FY 2026-2027 Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) appropriation from non-instructional funding to prioritize direct classroom support.
Members also received an update regarding the continued implementation of recommendations developed by the BESE Artificial Intelligence (AI) Workgroup. The report highlighted ongoing efforts to advance a comprehensive statewide AI strategy designed to support student achievement, strengthen instructional practices, and prepare Louisiana students for an evolving workforce.
Additional committee discussions included an update on educational choice and key performance indicators (KPIs). Members reviewed progress toward Louisiana's goal of reducing the percentage of students attending failing schools, which has decreased from 6.7% in 2022-2023 to 2.0% in 2025-2026. The report also highlighted the creation of 6,877 high-quality charter school seats through the Charter School Program Grant, reflecting continued efforts to expand educational opportunities for Louisiana families.
Presentations were conducted regarding charter school applications submitted in response to the 2025-2026 Annual Charter School Request for Applications (RFA). In accordance with Bulletin 126—Charter Schools, applicants seeking authorization for Type 2 charter schools presented an overview of their proposals prior to consideration of recommendations by the State Superintendent of Education.
The applicants included:
- Great Hearts Lake Charles, proposed by Great Hearts Louisiana, Inc., in Calcasieu Parish; and
- Slaughter Community Elementary School, proposed by Slaughter Community Charter School in East Feliciana Parish.
During the Joint Meeting of BESE and the Louisiana Board of Regents, members continued discussions focused on strengthening alignment between K-12 education, workforce development, and higher education opportunities.
Topics included:
- Proposed changes to mathematics standards as they relate to the TOPS/TOPS Core and Board of Regents Core curriculum requirements;
- An update on Louisiana's Dual Enrollment initiatives;
- A report on the Task Force on Career Alignment;
- An update on the Tri-Agency Teacher Apprenticeship Initiative; and
- A report on Louisiana's AI Readiness Pipeline, which aims to strengthen connections between K-12 education and higher education pathways in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
During the Board meeting, BESE recognized over 100 outstanding educators, schools, and educational leaders from across Louisiana for their commitment to student success and academic excellence.
Honorees included:
- Louisiana State Certified World Language Immersion Site;
- Louisiana Seal of Biliteracy recipients;
- English Learner Fellows;
- SPED Fellow Academy participants;
- Learning & Leading: Aspiring Educators Cohort participants;
- Aspiring Principal Fellowship participants; and
- Novice Principal Academy participants.
For the full list of honorees, visit our Board meeting agenda.
"These meetings reflected the strong commitment shared by education leaders across Louisiana to ensure every student has access to opportunities that prepare them for success in school, in the workforce, and in life," said BESE President Simone Champagne. "I want to thank the Louisiana Board of Regents, Chair Misti Cordell, Commissioner Dr. Kim Hunter Reed, our fellow board members, and education partners for their continued collaboration and dedication to serving Louisiana's students.
From strengthening teacher support and expanding educational choice to advancing artificial intelligence initiatives and improving postsecondary pathways, the work discussed this week demonstrates the importance of working together to build a stronger education system. BESE remains focused on supporting policies and partnerships that help students achieve their full potential while ensuring Louisiana continues moving forward."
Recordings of the Board and committee meetings are available on the Louisiana BESE YouTube channel. All meeting agendas and materials can be found on Diligent Community.
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