Superintendent’s Message
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Paul G. Pastorek, State Superintendent of Education visits with students. |
Our focus must be that of preparing Louisiana’s children to succeed and compete on a national as well as international level during this 21st century. Since 1996, Louisiana’s Governors, legislators, education system, and policymakers have made tremendous advances in improving policy and identifying best practices for local school districts and local schools to be successful. Where school districts and schools have the capacity to respond, we have seen favorable results in academic achievement and many other gains which could be recounted.
However, in spite of these favorable results, we have many serious challenges ahead that will require significantly different strategies and approaches by all parties. Some of these include structural challenges in governance, leadership capacity to get the job done, literacy and numeracy, failed and failing schools, and the largest number of poverty-stricken children in the nation.
We have begun developing a plan through the collaborative efforts of educational leaders which we hope will provide short-term and long-term strategies for improving performance of all students.
Some of the initiatives that have already begun include the following:
- Hosting a monthly dialogue schedule with all local superintendents.
- Consulting with national and international education reform experts.
- Analyzing data to reveal successes and clarify lessons learned.
- Examining and revising Louisiana’s Comprehensive Curriculum.
- Building the capacity of all educators, including teachers and administrators.
- Pairing high achieving schools with high priority schools.
- Implementing best practices and scientifically research-based programs in many schools across the state.
- Developing partnerships with universities and other stakeholders to enhance teaching and learning.
Vision
This journey to excellence is an ambitious effort that will involve ongoing, sustained commitment, communication, and collaboration. Our early steps in such areas as accountability, teacher quality, and data systems have brought national recognition to the state. It is now time to take the giant steps that will move us to the next level. We all agree that they, the children, deserve no less. Time is of the essence, and this administration will waste no time in realizing this vision.
Create a world-class education system for all students in Louisiana. successful. Where school districts and schools have the capacity to respond, we have seen favorable results in academic achievement and many other gains which could be recounted. However, in spite of these favorable results, we have many serious challenges ahead that will require significantly different strategies and approaches by all parties. Some of these include structural challenges in governance, leadership capacity to get the job done, literacy and numeracy, failed and failing schools, and the largest number of poverty-stricken children in the nation.