Gov. Jeff Landry and state education chief Kate Brumley tout Louisiana as top improver in K–12 recovery, urge support for teacher-pay amendment

Gov. Jeff Landry and State Superintendent Dr. Kate Brumley on Thursday highlighted a new education scorecard they said ranks Louisiana the nation’s top improver in K–12 academic recovery between 2022 and 2026 and urged lawmakers and voters to preserve reforms and approve a teachers’ pay/retirement amendment.

Brumley, who leads the Louisiana Department of Education, told an audience of educators and officials that researchers at Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth released a scorecard showing Louisiana ‘‘ranks number 1 among all states for improvement in K–12 education between 2022 and 2026.’’ She said the state’s reading gains were especially notable and credited policies such as high‑dosage tutoring and aligned funding.

The announcement came at an event attended by Gov. Landry, members of the legislature and leaders from the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). ‘‘Because of all you working together, we are benefiting students, and we are showing the might of Louisiana,’’ Brumley said, while acknowledging that ‘‘too many students still aren’t reading grade level’’ and that more work remains.

Landry echoed that framing, saying the ranking shows the state is ‘‘leading’’ national recovery from pandemic learning loss and stressing the stakes for students. He praised local districts he said were leading gains and thanked BESE and local superintendents, including East Baton Rouge superintendent Lamont Cole and BESE president Simone Champine, for their roles in the progress.

The governor tied the education gains to broader economic opportunity, saying the state currently has ‘‘$100,000,000,000 worth of investment’’ and projecting ‘‘124,000 new job opportunities’’ with an average salary figure cited during his remarks. He said those opportunities make it essential to sustain education reforms so students can meet workforce needs.

Landry also urged voters to support an amendment on the ballot he said would stabilize the teachers’ retirement system and support raises. ‘‘I will tell you that with a vote of yes on that particular amendment... it stabilizes the teachers’ retirement system’’ and helps provide raises and retention, he said, adding that voters would have an opportunity to act ‘‘on Saturday.’’

Officials repeatedly framed the state’s gains as the product of multiple policies, including tutoring programs and changes to classroom management. The governor additionally referenced classroom changes such as removing cell phones and restoring the Ten Commandments to classrooms as part of broader cultural and policy reforms he said matter for student outcomes.

The event did not include a legislative vote or a formal action by BESE; speakers called on legislators to protect current reforms and on voters to support the amendment referenced by the governor. Questions and a later board discussion were noted as planned at the event.

What officials said and did not provide in detail: Brumley and Landry cited a multi‑university scorecard but did not provide the full methodology or a formal written release at the event; the governor provided large aggregate economic figures and a jobs projection without supporting documents in the remarks. The event transcript records the officials’ claims and appeals; independent verification of the scorecard findings and the economic figures would require consulting the cited researchers’ report and related data.

The announcement is expected to shape public and legislative debate over education funding and teacher compensation in the near term; officials said a vote on an amendment would occur on Saturday but did not specify ballot language at the event.