Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
We read a lot of surveys that rank Louisiana near the bottom on measures we would prefer to be at the top. These days, Louisiana education is often leading in innovation and results. There are some definite pride points for us to consider. Last year, the Nation’s Report Card on education noted that Louisiana was number one of the 50 states in reading growth in each of the last two-year cycles as assessed by National Assessment of Educational Progress testing. Louisiana’s current accomplishments are a result of a return to basics approach emphasizing phonics as well as our state’s long-term dedication to early childhood education, school choice and individualized tutoring of students. This year, the Heritage Foundation released a study that ranked states on their success in bringing educational freedom to families. Researchers developed methodology to rank states based on the assessment of data in the categories of education choice, transparency, teacher freedom, community return on investment and civics education. In the cumulative overall rankings, Louisiana ranked No. 5 among all states. In every one of the five subcategories noted above, Louisiana placed in the top 20 of all states. Louisiana ranked No. 4 in community return on investment. This speaks to the efficiency and effectiveness of our school systems. Among other data points, this category includes per-pupil spending, increasing teacher-to-nonteacher ratios and funding formulas based on academic results. Louisiana ranked No. 5 among states in teacher freedom. This category includes reducing barriers to alternate certification as well as ease of reciprocity for out-of-state teachers. Louisiana has recently designed statewide and local programs to encourage retirees and other professionals to consider teaching as a second profession. To attract people to the teaching profession, Louisiana now has a teacher pathway with degree paths at any Louisiana community college. Our state has been serious about continued improvement efforts based on recommendations of a diverse group of outstanding teachers in Louisiana on the issue of “Let Teachers Teach.” This is a Louisiana Department of Education effort to concentrate at the state and local level on reducing interruption from administration bureaucracy, paperwork and student behavior interruption. Improving the learning environment has also been aided by a state law that prohibits smartphones in our classrooms. Louisiana ranked No. 15 in transparency in education by improving efforts to keep parents informed in making the best decisions for their children. This category includes development of parent-teacher organizations, school board participation, parents’ Bill of Rights and accountability in creating parental access to their child’s curriculum. Louisiana ranked No. 16 among states concerning school choice. This category includes ranking charter, private and homeschooling participation, policy design, funding and legal environment. The improvement in rankings here is due primarily to Louisiana’s expanding charter school movement and the recent development of education savings accounts in our state. Louisiana ranked No. 6 nationwide in civics education. This category includes the promotion of classical education schools, mandated civics requirements and nationally based civics testing as incorporated in Louisiana’s recently developed “Louisiana Freedom Seal” diploma certification. Recent test scores in social studies have fallen lower than Louisiana student scores in reading, math and science. Our state has recently turned around decades of deficiency in providing a foundational understanding of history and civics by developing a “Freedom Framework” based on a more rigorous set of K-12 social studies standards. The framework is built on learning about the totality of events that have made America a truly exceptional nation. Students learn about the last 250 years of building, maintaining and improving a free society. The new curriculum standards provide a foundation for students to understand the past and learn from our nation’s triumphs and her mistakes. There is no doubt Louisiana is rapidly advancing in its efforts to excel in the twin foundations of economic development and education. We should all be telling that story — to be ambassadors of progress and expressers of gratitude. With that said, there is much to be done to provide more opportunity for our families and to make our state more attractive to others. However, we are our own worst enemy when we pass along the negative stories and forget the positive ones. We can all be part of the positive momentum in today’s movement to build a Louisiana that is a better place to live and work.
