Structure
The Board is composed of 11 members:
- Eight members are elected, one from each of the state’s eight BESE districts, at the same time Louisiana’s governor is elected.
- Three members are appointed by the governor to represent the state at-large.
- Each Board member serves a four-year term that runs concurrently with the term of the governor.
By law, BESE members must elect a president and a vice president from among their members; they may also elect other such officers that they consider necessary. Currently, the Board elects a president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer from its membership. Each officer serves a term set by the Board, not to exceed one year. These officers assume their duties at the BESE meeting immediately following their election.
Click here for a listing of current BESE members and Board officers.
BESE functions similarly to the Louisiana Legislature: in order to handle the issues within its vast range of responsibilities, Board members are divided into separate committees:
- Academic Goals and Instructional Improvement
- Board Administration and Education Finance
- Educator Effectiveness
- School Innovation and Turnaround
Each committee considers issues within its specific subject area and then makes recommendations to the Board as a whole. For a complete listing of BESE’s committees and their members, click here.