[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6336160,"mediaKeyId","2287669-098dab381aa96390a9ea4f45a68657af","parentId",2287669,"title","LSU reports record enrollments and research growth; lawmakers press university on Title IX, DEI review and recruitment of top Louisiana students","audioSeconds",4153,"startMs",3287000,"endMs",7440000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2287669-098dab381aa96390a9ea4f45a68657af&start=3287&end=7440","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2287669-098dab381aa96390a9ea4f45a68657af/thumbnail_3287000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6336160/Louisiana/LSU-reports-record-enrollments-and-research-growth-lawmakers-press-university-on-Title-IX-DEI-review-and-recruitment-of-top-Louisiana-students","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336160-1692eb565f9ff299bee7f5a2687b9abb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770884148&Signature=VvXV4egjrSWTgw3v~Fhg0ZNP2Jqn0z-8OTtXhD4LIdfk7QxvlFDgT4AUZ30Is-2oJgDUlnNKAo7Ce0XZcrEBeIMSPknmwA4DmCMYTejx0AE2-z59QNyXlP1sLH0M0zBbhJkOlhEFbTm4oMJ19QqOeSVVljVxrHqQkb94tBpoH1icLxydh7CuFd7xl8zVYFSoSnkPdAgWMfv0lpbwRI0v21v735U2wnie8Q9d-UsmsS~peP9STCdeZdYer1Uh0xTP9y9HOPtyihYzGSdGsjm70LhCrEwQ7IyfubHqgXun9RofF2oyV2~ZCwlJ0e~50Hgysfy54KLJgXNwZj1pRRKaqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Louisiana","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","Louisiana State University President William F. Tate and senior LSU officials briefed the House Education Committee on Feb. 12 on strategic planning, enrollment, research and Title IX staffing, and answered lawmakers’ questions about retention of high‑achieving Louisiana students, DEI program reporting and research security.

The update matters because LSU is the state flagship and its enrollment, scholarship and research strategies influence statewide talent retention, workforce development and public funding priorities.

Tate said state analysis shows LSU and the state system enroll the bulk of high‑achieving Louisiana students: “Of those students who remain in Louisiana, 36% of them enroll at LSU,” he told the committee. He reported systemwide milestones including a record total enrollment across LSU campuses of more than 66,700 students and a record‑setting flagship freshman class of about 7,900 students. Tate said 65% of Louisiana residents who graduate from LSU remain in the state and that 86% of degrees awarded last year were in high‑demand fields identified by the Louisiana Workforce Commission. He highlighted research growth — a historic high of $488 million in research activity and a cited $1.3 billion economic impact — and singled out cybersecurity, biomedical, agriculture and energy as strategic research priorities.

Danny Barrow, LSU vice president for enrollment and student success, said LSU has reduced the time from admission to award notification (from more than 100 days previously to about 60 days) and is expanding in‑state and out‑of‑state recruitment, including targeted markets such as Texas and Florida. Barrow said LSU’s “Scholarship First” framework and expanded donor‑funded scholarships are intended to improve competitiveness against out‑of‑state offers.

Representative Schlegel and other lawmakers asked why LSU does not adopt a predictable automatic scholarship threshold for top in‑state students (a common practice at some competing out‑of‑state institutions). Barrow said LSU has shortened notification timelines and increased donor‑funded aid for auxiliary costs but that the admissions and scholarship process remains individualized; Tate and staff said the university is committed to further reducing notification time and to expanding on‑campus recruitment and best‑in‑class visit programs to improve yield.

Lawmakers pressed Tate about Title IX, DEI programs and a Board of Supervisors resolution adopted in October 2024 that directed a comprehensive review of programs and offices that use diversity terminology. Tate said the Board’s directive is being followed and that LSU will provide preliminary material to the Board at its next meeting; he offered to make that material available to the committee. He and Todd Manuel, vice president for Engagement, Civil Rights and Title IX, discussed Title IX staffing and operations: Manuel reported an 11‑person Title IX team, 56 confidential advisors across campus, a reported 92% training completion rate among employees in 2024 and provision of 269 supportive measures to 72 students on the main campus in a recent 12‑month reporting period. Manuel said the office received 250 reports on the main campus from Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024; of those, 13 resulted in formal complaints, one went through a full investigation with a finding of fault, two were resolved by informal agreements that resulted in three‑year suspensions and one resulted in a one‑year probation.

Several lawmakers questioned apparent discrepancies between different reports and public materials about programs labeled DEI, and asked for a clearer, comprehensive accounting. Tate said the university will provide the Board‑requested materials and that a university review is under way; he added LSU has recently strengthened research‑security and compliance capacity, including hiring an associate vice president for research compliance to lead research‑security work.

On research security, Sean Courtney (associate vice president for research compliance) and Robert Twilley (vice president for research and economic development) described a new research‑security office and compliance processes; Tate said federal partners and intelligence officials engage with university leadership on research security and export‑control concerns. Representative Owen and others pressed for continuing public transparency on scholarship disbursements to out‑of‑state and foreign students; Tate and staff described how out‑of‑state tuition revenue and donor scholarships are used to support broader scholarship and recruitment strategies and agreed to share additional detail with the committee.

Ending: Tate and LSU staff agreed to provide the committee with the Board‑requested materials and additional financial and admissions detail; the committee did not take formal action at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Education Feb 12, 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","President William F. Tate told the committee LSU has set enrollment and research records and retains a majority of in‑state graduates, while lawmakers pressed the university about Title IX caseloads, the Board of Supervisors DEI review, scholarship consistency for high‑achieving in‑state students and research security.","taxTitle","Education, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Louisiana","taxId",20972,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6336165,"K‑12 study group flags testing burden, high‑dosage tutoring logistics and third‑grade retention concerns",487,1244000,1731000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2287669-098dab381aa96390a9ea4f45a68657af&start=1244&end=1731","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2287669-098dab381aa96390a9ea4f45a68657af/thumbnail_1244000.jpg","/articles/6336165/Louisiana/K12-study-group-flags-testing-burden-highdosage-tutoring-logistics-and-thirdgrade-retention-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336165-f7e483639cf5d6bd99aee1206d50f2ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770884148&Signature=bKw32AZV9fZbrMbwTdYbsgE3xsTNnGa7jWzXemrocSoBry9cb4w5CjkDq7Exe52hjAwqBAz~UCfD-Aa1ttjAAnGkwVr-d4CbHILimC2FEw8gyKwqLUMVKX-NEhhvm6ECIMGupkSJv1s5Z0HvJz~Z-5jRHQlhSlteK9enZPnrc1yAErPBqAavHwYZp5wfse0LCo~5wkQFHeZDbagfX5FNtKOZxtazvm~8S8Ye9GxT~T2GHZ-lfeg4b1JsGyKaKCfN~wSzrhsSfZhaB0~ldqynY2nG7F8XVThyJr~72WrrTwL815GGgEE1ZAGXvMpZxljyVUtKFB7XiHJp0H6lI8ZsVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Education Committee on Feb. 12 received findings from the K‑12 education study group established by House Resolution 281 (2024). Representatives Roger Wilder and Bamberg summarized the group’s top findings and said the members plan further stakeholder meetings to pursue actionable changes.

The report matters because it addresses how state testing, remedial interventions and accountability rules affect classroom instruction, teacher workload and student outcomes across districts.

Representative Wilder, who chaired the study group, told the committee the group held four public meetings and documented several recurring concerns. Those included what the group described as an excessive number of standardized tests in Louisiana — Wilder cited 32 tests in state practice versus a federal minimum of 17 — and frequent testimony that teachers are spending substantial time on testing rather than instruction, summarized by the question heard at meetings: “Are we teachers or are we testers?”

Wilder and other study‑group members flagged implementation issues tied to Act 422 of 2023, which enacted new third‑grade retention and related accountability provisions. Several participants told the group the retention policy can arrive “too late” for some students and that moving the accountability point earlier — for example, to first grade — was suggested by some parents and educators. The group also recorded concerns about the emotional impact of retention later in elementary school.

The study group discussed DIBELS, a reading screener that several witnesses said is now being treated as an assessment rather than a simple early warning tool, and high‑dosage tutoring (HDT). Members reported HDT mandates that require small tutoring group ratios (often cited as 4:1) and heavy administrative burden, and they raised questions about vendor quality and outsourced tutoring models used to meet required minutes. Representative Wilder gave one example he said a principal shared: a remotely delivered intervention session in which the adult seen on camera was smoking.

Lawmakers noted that some districts have successfully used local staff to meet HDT targets without extra funding, while others lack qualified tutors and rely on vendors. Representative Millery and others urged increased and more reliable funding; the committee heard that a $30,000,000 appropriation for HDT was provided in the prior year but many members urged that figure be increased and targeted to demonstrated need.

Wilder and Bamberg said the study group’s next step is to convene key stakeholders for follow‑up — district superintendents, BESE, Department of Education staff and classroom teachers — with the aim of identifying changes that can be implemented collaboratively rather than by unilateral rule‑making. No formal committee action was taken.

Ending: Wilder and Bamberg asked lawmakers and education stakeholders to collaborate on recommended adjustments and to keep the study group active to translate findings into implementable changes.","Representatives from the HR 281 K‑12 study group reported findings including perceived excess testing, concerns about DIBELS and DIBELS as an assessment rather than screener, implementation strain from high‑dosage tutoring mandates and calls to reexamine third‑grade retention timing under Act 422 (2023).",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6336170,"Board of Regents and LDOE report gains in teacher pipeline but urge continued work",323,155000,478000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2287669-098dab381aa96390a9ea4f45a68657af&start=155&end=478","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2287669-098dab381aa96390a9ea4f45a68657af/thumbnail_155000.jpg","/articles/6336170/Louisiana/Board-of-Regents-and-LDOE-report-gains-in-teacher-pipeline-but-urge-continued-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336170-f1bb6d63399363815933656c28aadf55/orig.mp4?Expires=1770884148&Signature=mT2ud5QLiXw~WiZTSR2IO0Sj1CheMru8X3mYrM4DwPBcII1mEx08dFF0RWREhxHeqGGscee2RXHAZ0aWKw~HRyguh~I9Uz3zZA2oD~TYkB0N4zAHEoa9N7nPbg4p13BVXu3ix~yEEsvZt1riqAJyhQlSoAUhEtPOQ~VqJjRjy9wZVMJb--CrfS2PEWHpbueN7fDKhDwBMhE15P9VfrhXMX0eu8HnRNFP71HAgAP-BdRtTKy0lXsDxuY3IZe7MljTcDiAzbd~je5l439s0ozPmNpS5QqIX1y~gV9ytOc93aCUywevAdzTgIAviL1YUz1y7UtOIl4KN4GTNO5fDTRGvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Education Committee on Feb. 12 received an update from Kim Hunter Reid, Commissioner of Higher Education, and Louisiana Department of Education staff on the Teacher Recruitment, Recovery and Retention Task Force’s 2024 report, which the presenters said shows enrollment and program gains while noting the work is ongoing.

The report matters because the legislature and state agencies have invested in pay increases, scholarships and pathway programs intended to address teacher shortages that affect classroom capacity and student support statewide.

Reid told the committee the task force’s work, chaired at the Board of Regents and co-chaired by Barry Irwin of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, has focused on growing “homegrown” teachers. She said the state’s initiatives include a GoTeach scholarship funded in 2024, efforts to ease certification for out‑of‑state teachers, and programs to expand pre‑educator pathways in high schools, paraprofessional-to-teacher pipelines and mentor teacher ranks.

Department of Education deputy assistant superintendent Art Joffreon and other staff highlighted several data points from the handout the committee received: the report lists a statewide teacher headcount of 52,208 for 2024; 89 high schools offer a pre‑educator pathway with about 1,700 students enrolled; roughly 597 school employees were enrolled in a para‑to‑teacher model in 2024; and an aspiring‑principal fellowship showed 88% of cohort participants in school‑leader positions in its second cohort. Committee members emphasized that those figures include specialized positions such as librarians and interventionists, which affect simple student‑to‑teacher ratio calculations.

Lawmakers praised the collaborative, multi-year nature of the task force. Representative Freiberg and Representative Carver both thanked Reid, Regents staff and Department of Education staff for the work and said the package of changes — scholarships, certification streamlining, pay increases and mentoring — has produced measurable progress. Representative Amade and others asked whether higher‑education teacher preparation programs still leave gaps in curriculum that affect teachers’ day‑one readiness; Reid and Joffreon said partnerships between districts and colleges of education have strengthened and that the task force will continue to examine curricular alignment and specialty shortages such as math and special education.

Committee members also asked about demographic alignment between the teacher workforce and student body. Reid said teachers do not yet mirror student demographics and that the Department of Education has an explicit goal to increase minority teacher representation; staff told the committee a statewide workforce report with additional demographic detail will be released to the BESE committee in March or April.

The presentation concluded without a formal committee vote. Reid and staff said the work will continue as agencies and the legislature begin implementing recommendations in the report.

Lede excerpt provenance: Commissioner Kim Hunter Reid provided the update; Department of Education staff including Art Joffreon answered follow‑up questions. Ending: Committee members asked staff to follow up with additional workforce and demographic data as the task force and agencies move to implementation.","Commissioner Kim Hunter Reid and task-force members reported enrollment and program growth across pre-educator, para-to-teacher and mentor programs but said retention and specialty shortages remain areas for continued effort.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

LSU reports record enrollments and research growth; lawmakers press university on Title IX, DEI review and recruitment of top Louisiana students

K‑12 study group flags testing burden, high‑dosage tutoring logistics and third‑grade retention concerns

Board of Regents and LDOE report gains in teacher pipeline but urge continued work