Louisiana education leaders say the state is making strong progress, but continued growth depends on staying focused on teachers, students, and long-term goals. That message came during the Department of Education’s Teacher Leaders Summit, where Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education President Simone Champagne discussed education policy, classroom support, and student success.
Champagne described BESE as the policy-making arm of the Louisiana Department of Education. She explained that the board focuses on policies, accountability systems, teacher certification, and education procedures while the Department of Education handles day-to-day operations.
Champagne praised Louisiana State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley and his leadership team for helping move Louisiana education forward after major disruptions caused by COVID-19 and hurricanes in 2020 and 2021. She credited collaboration between BESE and the department for helping improve student outcomes statewide.
She pointed to classroom engagement as a key sign of success. According to Champagne, teachers track student progress closely and work to keep students on target academically. She said classrooms today show strong teacher involvement and students who remain engaged and motivated to learn.
Teacher support remains a major focus. Champagne highlighted Louisiana’s “Let Teachers Teach” effort, which removed administrative burdens that kept educators away from instruction. She said early results show the policy changes continue helping teachers focus more time on students.
Champagne also stressed that education success extends beyond test scores. She pointed to workforce readiness, internships, apprenticeships, and helping students build long-term career goals as critical parts of preparing young people for the future.
As Louisiana continues improving education outcomes, Champagne said momentum matters most.
“We have to make sure that we stay on pace and continue moving forward,” Champagne said.