(The Center Square) — The implementation of new programs and evaluation standards highlighted the Department of Education’s update in front of the House Education Committee on Tuesday.
The most important information from educators was the application of the Let Teachers Teach program, which aims to help teachers focus on teaching by reducing classroom disruptions and unnecessary bureaucracy.
The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education said it’s began creating new guidelines to implement the program. This includes shifting training regimens, paying for additional non-academic work, decoupling student behavior and the accountability system, limiting cellphone use in classrooms and abolishing antiquated lesson plans.
The teachers also asked state officials to “trust us, don’t blame us.” Brumley says overwhelmingly, teachers feel they’ve been forced to be robots reading from a script which removes the art of teaching.
The new accountability system previously referenced has been debated in every K-12 study group and public education meeting across the state since the new leadership took over the board earlier this year. The department brought the House Committee up to speed.
Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said the accountability system was necessary to create higher expectations, make the assessment process simpler, and promote career and college readiness.
To do so, the system focuses on improvement cycles and coaching for the student to continuously get better rather than weighty emphasis on testing of satisfactory grades. It also places a heavier priority on career readiness, as opposed to fixating on college preparation.
Superintendents have complained in previous education meetings that the new school grading system holds the school to an unfair standard and would lower their score even if their students were improving.
The Louisiana Department of Education tried to ease their stress by addressing the issue of below average students weighing too heavily on their overall scores.
“For those most concerned about school performance scores, unprepared students are taken out of the equation until they are better prepared,” said Ronnie Morris, the president of Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The new plan also states that if there is evidence of a student’s engagement in the topic, they will receive proficient scores, which is a level three out five of subject understanding.
Rep. Kim Carver, R-St. Tammany, reacted to the statistic that 80% of high schools across Louisiana are scoring A’s and B’s under the old accountability system.
“I’m sorry that somebody maybe had an A or a B before, but the reality is maybe they didn’t deserve an A or a B,” Carver said.
The department finalized this section of the update by ensuring this accountability plan will allow for more common sense to be applied and will be the best course of action for children’s learning and future.
“This new model is very robust. It moves away from any checking of the box type activities for evaluation,” Brumley said.
The final update was on the educational choice bill, which gives parents more options on where their children goes to school.
In August, BESE approved the program rules and regulations for phase one of the LA Giving All True Opportunity to Rise bill passed during the legislative session in May. The board also endorsed a program administrator, Odyssey.
Even though all of these K-12 education changes are less than a year old, BESE has already noticed improvements in national polls.
“Heads are turning nationally to Louisiana and the K-12 education conversation,” Morris said. “We are no longer at 49 and thanking God for Mississippi. We’re at 40!”
