SREB and Louisiana
SREB and Louisiana
An overview of SREB programs and services and how Louisiana participates in them.
Appropriations from member states support core SREB services. SREB leverages the longstanding commitment of member states to attract external funding for additional programs and services that benefit member states. States may also choose to join targeted networks for additional fees.
Policy
Goals for Education | Monitoring State Policies
Monitoring and reporting to assist education leaders and policymakers as they shape public policy. SREB tracks trends and analyzes the progress of all 16 SREB states in each area in the Challenge to Lead 2020 Goals for Education and provides Legislative Reports that detail legislative and budget actions in each state.
SREB’s Insights data tool allows leaders to explore actions across states, delve into a topic for a deeper understanding or select a detailed state report.
College and Career Readiness
Intensive work to help states implement essential components of SREB’s recommendations for statewide college and career readiness. These include assessing high school juniors to determine their progress toward the state’s readiness standards — and requiring those who are underprepared to take transitional courses in 12th grade.
Benchmarking Implementation of College- and Career-Readiness Standards
Tracks and reports progress on implementation of college- and career-readiness standards and related reforms across states. Based on this research, SREB staff support these states through reports, meetings and technical assistance.
In September 2017, SREB staff presented information on state efforts to redesign state accountability systems under the Every Student Succeeds Act at SREB’s annual Meeting of Legislative and Governors’ Staff.
SREB.org/Benchmarking >
Readiness in New State Accountability Systems
SREB’s benchmarking team distilled key elements of SREB states’ accountability systems under the Every Student Succeeds Act into interactive profiles at Insights.SREB.org.
PUBLICATIONS
In January 2018 SREB published a set of reports on the redesign of state accountability systems. Profiles on each state describe how the state established expectations for increasing college and career readiness and also include the state’s long-term goals, school peformance indicators, framework for differentiating schools performance, and system of identification and support for struggling schools. An introduction to trends across states offers recommendations for making the new systems effective tools for continuous improvement.
Louisiana’s profile notes the state’s efforts to raise expectations for college and career readiness through its school performance indicators.
Meetings
SREB staff presented information on state efforts to redesign state accountability systems at SREB’s Annual Meeting in June 2017 and at the Legislative Advisory Council meeting in November 2017. Seventeen stakeholders from Louisiana attended.
Career and Technical Education
State Leaders Forum
Louisiana attendees at SREB’s State Leaders Forum on policies for high-quality career and technical education in November 2017: 4
Educator Effectiveness
Advises state and district leaders as they develop strategies to support the professional growth of teachers and principals. SREB serves as a technical advisor to state education agencies, spotlights inspiring stories of local practice and convenes stakeholders at regional meetings.
Technical Assistance
In May 2018, staff will provide technical assistance to Louisiana Department of Education staff who are leading the implementation of the state’s educator evaluation system. SREB will produce a report for state department staff that shares site visit and focus group findings, as well as recommendations for improving the implementation of the state’s educator effectiveness strategy.
SREB staff facilitated a retreat of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in August 2017.
In the last 12 months, SREB’s educator effectiveness team provided general policy and practice resources.
convenings
The state department sent representatives to SREB’s Sixth Annual Educator Effectiveness Convening in April 2018. They participated in collaborative working sessions with peers from 12 SREB states.
SREB staff presented on innovative ways to expand student access to high-quality instruction to state lawmakers who attended SREB’s Legislative Advisory Council Winter Meeting in November 2017.
REPORTS AND DATA
SREB produced the following resources for Louisiana leaders during the last 12 months:
School Is My Happy Place, May 2018, which showcases the innovative strategies used to develop a positive school culture at an elementary school in central Florida.
Mentoring New Teachers: A Fresh Look, January 2018, which proposes three action areas for states, districts and schools to support the development of novice educators and their mentors.
Evaluator Training: A Guide for States, September 2017, which spotlights seven components associated with effective training for observers of teachers.
Feedback on Teaching: A Fresh Look, July 2017, which features strategies for district and school leaders to establish and sustain better feedback practices.
Information Request Series, shares SREB responses to stakeholder questions on topics including educator evaluation, teacher certification, and principal recruitment and retention issues.
Educator Effectiveness Bill Tracker interactive tool, updated weekly to allow constituents to track legislative bills across eight areas, including teacher preparation, evaluation and professional learning.
A bi-weekly educator effectiveness e-newsletter
Teacher Preparation
SREB’s Teacher Preparation Commission met during 2016, 2017 and 2018 and will publish its final recommendations to improve teacher preparation programs in late 2018.
The Commission published its first report, More than the Numbers: Teacher Preparation Data Systems State Policy and Recommendations, in September 2017. The Louisiana Teacher Preparation Program Fact Book is featured in the report.
Postsecondary Education
Affordability
SREB’s Commission on College Affordability in the South recommended policies and practices to keep college costs within reach of all students. In addition to the Commission’s report, policymakers can draw on updated regional and individual state affordability profiles to understand how costs impact families at different income levels.
SREB convened state higher education agency academic officers in October 2017 to discuss factors that impact college affordability. Attendees learned from each other about new policies for tuition, fees, financial aid, transfer, textbook costs, online courses, collaboration with K-12, readiness and serving returning adults. A representative from the Louisiana Board of Regents participated.
In April 2018, SREB collaborated with the Association of Community College Trustees and its Governance Institute for Student Success, which convened trustees, community college presidents and senior staff, and state postsecondary agency staff from Louisiana and three other SREB states. Among the topics discussed were the boards’ role in state policy development, the changing world of work and learning, high-impact policies and practices, and engaging partnerships and collaborations.
A representative from the Louisiana Board of Regents participated in a meeting on accreditation issues coordinated by SREB with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the State Higher Education Executive Officers.
SREB assisted Louisiana policy leaders wtih a request for information on educational attainment goals, placement and remediation approaches and financial aid.
State Services
Connects policymakers with custom information, presentations and assistance on education issues as they arise. Leaders in member states are encouraged to contact SREB for data, analysis and advice.
SREB staff visited Louisiana to meet with legislators and staff in 2017.
Throughout 2017-18, legislators, legislative staff and governor’s staff from Louisiana requested assistance on topics including financial aid.
Meetings
Staff from 10 SREB states attended the 2017 meeting of legislative and governors’ staff to discuss topics that will likely be on agendas during upcoming legislative sessions.
Louisiana legislators were among those in attendance at the 2017 meetings of SREB’s Legislative Advisory Council and Legislative Work Conference.
Curriculum and School Improvement
High Schools That Work
The nation’s largest school improvement program. HSTW strategies transform high schools into places where all students master complex academic and technical concepts. More than 1,150 schools in 30 states use the framework, its six design features and nine key practices, to raise student achievement and graduation rates.
HSTW State Network
Member states select schools to receive services. The fee for state membership in the consortium covers several services and visits.
Louisiana is a member of the High Schools That Work state network. Seven schools were active in 2016-17.
HSTW Board Member: Patricia Felder, Executive Director, Career and Technical Education Louisiana & Technical College System
Contracts for Direct Support
Schools, districts and states contract with SREB for targeted school improvement services such as on-site coaching, technical assistance and professional development.
Eight Louisiana schools contracted for direct services in 2015-16. SREB provided 108 days of on-site coaching and 16 days of on-site staff development at the schools.
Making Middle Grades Work
Engages state, district and school leaders in partnerships with teachers, students, parents and the community to raise student achievement in the middle grades. In addition to workshops and school visits, SREB links schools to the professional development resources they need. The network includes over 650 schools in 20 states.
Louisiana is a member of the Making Middle Grades Work network, with 10 active schools in five parishes in 2016-17.
All six schools were part of a joint initiative of SREB and the Louisiana Department of Education to improve instruction in northeast Louisiana. The schools received ongoing professional development and job-embedded coaching to improve instruction.
Technology Centers That Work
Helps shared-time centers produce high-demand, high-wage graduates. SREB provides staff development, technical assistance, publications and assessment services. The network includes 218 sites in 16 states.
Active centers in Louisiana in 2017-18: 2
Counseling for College and Careers
Awakens students to career goals and connects them to the high school and postsecondary programs of study to succeed in them. SREB offers workshops, materials and coaching for districts, schools and technology centers, which then involve teachers, counselors, administrators, parents and community partners.
SREB is partnering with Bossier City Community College to implement Counseling for Careers in parish schools and increase business and community partnerships.
Professional Development
For Teachers, Principals and Counselors
College- and Career-Readiness Standards Networking Conference
Conference to share effective instructional strategies of the Literacy and Mathematics Design Collaborative frameworks.
Louisiana attendees at the July 2017 conference: 85
SREB.org/NetworkingConference >
Go Alliance Academy
Strives to increase the postsecondary education and career success of all students by providing timely and relevant professional development in college and career readiness to school counselors, teachers, principals, career coaches and college access advisors.
Go Alliance Academy Representative: Tireka Cobb, Director, Field Outreach Services, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
High Schools That Work Staff Development Conference
Annual conference for thousands of school leaders, teachers and counselors from middle grades, high schools and technology centers across the country.
Louisiana attendees at the July 2017 conference: 21
Learning-Centered Leadership Program
Works with district, state and university partners to prepare aspiring principals and school leadership teams to lead school reform to ensure that students are ready for college and careers. This program offers training, guidance and technical assistance.
Louisiana attendees at the Coaching for School Improvement workshop: 6
National Technology Centers That Work Leaders Forum
Annual Forum for state department of education leaders, directors, principals, teacher-leaders and counselors representing high schools and technology centers across the country.
Louisiana attendees in 2018: 1
Literacy and Math Professional Development
SREB is partnering with states on a large-scale effort to help districts and schools adopt, spread and sustain effective literacy and math teaching strategies to meet their state’s college- and career-readiness standards.
SREB’s Powerful Literacy Practices empower language arts, science and social studies teachers to build meaningful assignments aligned to their state’s college- and career-readiness standards. Teachers take ownership of their professional growth, and students take ownership of their learning.
SREB’s Powerful Mathematics Practices use formative assessment lessons — part assessment, part instruction — to help teachers know whether their students understand material they have been taught. Teachers learn to adapt assignments and engage students so they understand the hows and whys of math.
During the 2017-18 school year, this SREB professional development reached Louisiana educators in 29 schools.
Louisiana teachers, principals and coaches who participated in training and coaching: 335
Postsecondary Education
Academic Common Market
A tuition-savings program for college students in SREB member states who want to pursue degrees not offered by in-state institutions. Students can enroll in out-of-state institutions that offer their degree program and pay the in-state tuition rates.
During calendar year 2017, 2,130 degree programs were available, 152 institutions participated and 3,355 new students were certified for study.
In 2017, 81 Louisiana students participated in Academic Common Market, saving, on average, $12,623 each and a collective total of $1,035,069 in tuition.
ACM State Representative: LeAnn Detillier, assistant commissioner for program administration, Louisiana Board of Regents
Regional Contract Program
Gives students the opportunity to earn a professional health degree from participating institutions in other states through in-state tuition rates at public institutions or reduced tuition at private institutions. More than 600 students participate each year.
Participating students from Louisiana in 2017-18: 35
Number of out-of-state students who enrolled in Louisiana programs in 2017-18: 49
Residents of other states may contract for entry into Louisiana State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the Louisiana State University Health Science Center College of Dentistry. These Louisiana institutions received more than $1.44 million from other SREB states.
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement
A nationwide system to open more high-quality distance education offerings for students and ease the regulatory burden on institutions. SREB member states may opt in to offer distance education activities in other SARA states.
Louisiana is an approved member of SARA.
Louisiana SARA representative: LeAnn Detillier, Assistant Commissioner for Program Administration with the Louisiana Board of Regents.
Fact Book and Data Exchange
Publishes one of the nation’s most comprehensive collections of comparative data through a cooperative effort of state postsecondary education agencies. Data are updated annually on topics including population demographics, college completion, tuition and fees, cost of attendance, state appropriations and faculty salaries.
Louisiana leaders receive the SREB Fact Book on Higher Education, as well as Louisiana: Featured Facts from the SREB Fact Book on Higher Education and the annual SREB-State Data Exchange tables.
Louisiana participating agency and SREB-State Data Exchange Coordinator: Kimberly Kirkpatrick, Louisiana Board of Regents
Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing
Helps expand and strengthen schools of nursing to reduce the critical shortage of nurse educators needed to educate the nation’s registered nurses. The Council surveys institutions for nursing education trends and shares online graduate nursing courses.
As of April 2018, five Louisiana institutions are members, listed here with their representatives to the Council:
Grambling State University: Meg Brown, Interim Associate Dean
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center: Demetrius Porche, Dean
Northwestern State University: Dana Clawson, Dean
University of Holy Cross: Patricia Prechter, Dean
University of Louisiana at Lafayette: Melinda Oberleitner, Interim Dean
Doctoral Scholars Program
Supports minority students to help them earn Ph.D.s, begin careers at colleges and universities, and diversify campus faculties. The SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program hosts the annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring, the nation’s largest gathering of minority doctoral scholars, with more than 1,200 attendees.
Scholars funded by Louisiana in 2017-18: 73
2017 Institute attendees from Louisiana: 27
Scholars Louisiana has supported since joining in 1993: 170
Graduates since 1993: 63
Graduates currently employed: 58
Percent employed in education: 88
Louisiana-supported Ph.D. students have attended these institutions since 1993:
Georgia State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana Tech University
Rice University
Tulane University of Louisiana
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of New Orleans
Interstate Cooperatives
Go Alliance
An interstate cooperative to increase high school graduation rates, access to education beyond high school, and postsecondary degree completion — particularly for those who would be the first in their families to enroll. Go Alliance research, services and professional development focus on college access policy and communications strategies to motivate students to plan for and apply to college.
Louisiana is a Go Alliance member state.
Go Alliance Representative: Tireka Cobb, Director, Field Outreach Services, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
Educational Technology Cooperative
Membership group of state K-12 and higher education coordinating and governing boards that represent more than 800 colleges and universities and 3,100 school districts in SREB states. The ETC focuses member agencies and state policymakers on using technology wisely, helps states understand technology issues and forms an action agenda for effectively using technology in education.
Louisiana representatives attended the spring and summer webinars. Louisiana sent two attendees to the 2017 ETC annual meeting on teaching and technology.
Louisiana ETC representatives helped determine SREB’s 10 Critical Issues in Educational Technology and served on working groups for revisions.
Louisiana ETC Representatives and Member Agencies
Carol Mosley, State Education Technology and e-Rate Director, Louisiana Department of Education
Karthik Poobalasubramanian, Programmer/Analyst, Louisiana Board of Regents
Technology Purchasing Savings
Schools, universities and agencies in SREB states saved $3.3 million on over $33 million in technology purchases during fiscal year 2017 — double the FY2016 savings — through SREB’s participation in MHECtech discount agreements. Organizations in each of the 16 SREB states participated.
Louisiana saved $461,840 on $4,669,542 in technology purchases in fiscal year 2017.