BESE committee approves timeline to form ELA and math standards review panels

Members of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted unanimously by consent on Dec. 10 to approve a timeline and process to establish a review committee for Louisiana’s English language arts and mathematics standards.

Jenna Chasson of the Department of Education told the board the state’s K–12 ELA and math standards were last reviewed in 2015–16 and that policy calls for periodic review every seven years. The department proposed a 15‑member steering committee and two subject work groups, a one‑month open application period for committee members, four months of committee drafting followed by two months of public comment, monthly progress reports to BESE and a recommendation to the board at the March BESE meeting. “We plan to bring our recommendations for the committees to you all for approval at your March BESE meeting,” Chasson said.

The department said revision goals include strengthening foundational skills in early grades, emphasizing the science of reading and a measurable progression in grammar, mechanics and usage—particularly for grades 9–12—and clarifying secondary mathematics pathways to better align with college and career expectations. Chasson said staff have scanned other states’ and international standards to inform the review and will provide those resources to committee members. “Our literacy, ELA, and math teams here at the department have scanned the standards of other countries and other states,” she said.

Board members pressed staff on how the review would relate to national assessments. One board member noted that ACT English places heavy emphasis on grammar and asked whether alignment with that test would be considered; Chasson said alignment has been a stakeholder concern and remains a factor the technical team will keep in mind. Members also urged the department to integrate practical, career‑relevant applications in standards and to consider how logic supports pathways into computer science. The board discussed, but did not adopt, modifications to testing policy; the committee’s charge is standards revision only.

The motion to approve the standards review process was moved by Mister Birkin and seconded by Mister Harris and was adopted without objection. The department said it will open the application window for steering committee and work group members and will use higher education, educator organizations and school systems to publicize opportunities to apply.

The board’s approval directs staff to proceed with the timeline; staff said the department will also align its instructional materials review process so that posted high‑quality materials can be considered in parallel with revised standards. The department estimated that revised standards could be implemented in classrooms during the 2025–26 school year if the process proceeds on schedule.

Next steps: the department will open recruitment for committee and work group members, collect applications for one month, and return recommendations to BESE in March for board approval.