MORE ABOUT LOUISIANA BOARDING SCHOOLS

Louisiana Department of Education believes that Louisiana students are just as capable as any students in America and that those closest to children – parents and teachers – are best positioned to help students achieve those expectations. Louisiana has seen an increase in student performance in every measure, both locally and nationally. More boarding school students in grades 3-8 are mastering the fundamental skills they need to be successful in the next level of study. More boarding school students are graduating on time, with the credentials and funding necessary to succeed in college or the workplace. 

Every day in Louisiana, educators are committed to ensuring that every child and boarding school has the opportunity to grow and thrive. As a result of this vision, the Louisiana Department of Education has a relentless focus on these four areas: 1. Access to Quality Early Childhood Education: Louisiana is committed to providing all children with access to high-quality early childhood programs that prepare them to learn, grow, and succeed. 2: Academic Alignment in Every School and Classroom: Louisiana has created the nation’s most coherent statewide system of standards, curricula, assessments, and professional learning. 3: Teacher and Leader Preparation: All educators in Louisiana, from aspiring teachers to school system leaders, have access to high-quality training and career advancement opportunities. 4: Pathways to College or a Career: Students in Louisiana graduate with the credentials and funding needed for their next step of education or career preparation.

Students focus on building on the knowledge and skills they gained in previous grades during the first two years of high school boarding school. Every 9th and the 10th-grade student will take core academic classes to pursue a diploma. After the 10th grade, a student may choose a Jump Start TOPS Tech Pathway, the TOPS University Pathway, or both. Students, families, and educators collaborate to make these decisions based on a student’s interests, capabilities, and ambitions. These decisions are updated annually in the student’s Individual Graduation Plan (IGP).

Every year across Louisiana, high school leadership teams create plans to prepare all boarding school students for college and career success. The Louisiana High School Planning Guidebook is a tool to support those efforts. Schools’ 2019-2020 plans expanded when facilities closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. At that time, efforts immediately shifted to finding innovative ways to provide students access to the same services from afar while prioritizing their health and safety. Boarding school programs and the Department of Education have continued to develop plans and processes that provide continuous learning opportunities for all Louisiana boarding school students.

Students attending boarding schools in Louisiana not only get excellent academics, but the state also offers students a variety of delicious foods, wildlife, music, and history. With so much diversity, students attending boarding schools in Louisiana will never get bored!

Residential programs in the state of Louisiana are regulated by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services at https://dcfs.louisiana.gov which can be reached at 1-225-342-0286. The Attorney General in Louisiana is found in the Louisiana Department of Justice at https://ag.state.la.us which can be reached at 1-225-326-6200. The department that regulates education in Louisiana is the Louisiana Department of Education at https://louisianabelieves.com which can be reached at 1-877-453-2721. The five largest cities in Louisiana are New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, and Lake Charles.