Louisiana’s top public school board ignored the wishes of Gov. John Bel Edwards and moved ahead late Wednesday with plans to submit a redesign of the state’s education policies to the federal government next month.
As The Associated Press reports, Edwards wanted the submission delayed until mid-September, saying it needed more work. But the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted 7-4 to send the outline in April, siding with Superintendent of Education John White. All three of Edwards’ appointees to the board voted against an April submission after six hours of debate.
At issue is a proposal required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, a 2015 law that requires states to spell out how they’ll address school ratings, student report cards and other ways to spot and help troubled schools.
White’s plan would change the way student performance is measured in Louisiana, along with the method for calculating public school letter grades. Standardized testing requirements would be reworked, and the measuring stick for school academics would get tougher.
Edwards called it an “incomplete vision for Louisiana,” saying the plan needs more debate before it’s submitted to the federal government. He also said it includes too much required testing and too little detail about how school performance will be judged, and he raised concerns about financing changes.
Principals, superintendents and school board members overwhelmingly sought delay as well, while teachers and education groups were split. Those pushing for delay also said President Donald Trump’s administration changed the regulations governing the federal education law as recently as this week.
And even as education board members agreed to submit the plan in April, they also started tinkering with the details of what will be sent to the federal government.
