Louisiana Education Superintendent John White today released a second draft of the state’s new education plan, saying it’s crucial that federal officials approve the plan by the start of the 2017-18 school year, The Advertiser reports.
“We cannot drop a plan on our schools and school systems, families and educators, in the middle of the year,” White said in a conference call earlier today.
For the past several months, educators and stakeholders from across Louisiana have weighed in on the state’s proposal to comply with the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
Under the proposal, more students will have to reach the mastery level, rather than basic, in core subjects for schools to receive an “A” in accountability scores. White said the proposal also calls for schools to receive more credit for students’ academic growth, which could account for up to 25% of a school’s annual performance score.
The state is aiming to raise its high school graduation rate from 77.5% now to 90% by 2025, as well as boost the average ACT score from a 19.5 to a 21.
“We know that good schools don’t just get high marks with kids,” White said. “Good schools take all kids and grow their performance and their development over time.”
The updated framework is available online at louisianabelieves.com. Stakeholders will review the plan and its components over the coming weeks. The state is scheduled to submit its final plan to the U.S. Department of Education this spring.
