Louisiana BESE

What Louisiana BESE does

The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) is the constitutional authority for K-12 education in the state of Louisiana, established in 1974 and headquartered in Baton Rouge. BESE adopts regulations and policies governing all public elementary and secondary schools in Louisiana and performs certain administrative functions for non-public schools. The board consists of elected and appointed members and works in close coordination with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), which implements BESE's policies and administers statewide programs.

BESE's portfolio is not commercial but governmental: it sets academic standards, runs the LEAP assessment system for grades 3-12, implements the "Grow. Achieve. Thrive." accountability framework adopted in June 2024, certifies educators, oversees charter schools, and manages school transfer appeals. It allocates state education funding primarily through the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) and the 8(g) Quality Education Support Fund, the latter distributing $20.5 million in 2024-2025 and over $1.39 billion across 9,680+ projects since its 1986 constitutional inception. Recent programmatic additions include the LA GATOR Scholarship Program (educational savings accounts), first-ever Louisiana Computer Science Content Standards, and a Comprehensive High School Assessment System rolling out through 2028.

Because BESE is a state constitutional authority, it does not generate commercial revenue. Its operating model is policy-driven: it sets standards, allocates appropriated funds, and enforces accountability through assessment and reporting. The board itself has approximately 9 members, with implementation carried out by LDOE. Strategic positioning rests on its regulatory monopoly, federal alignment via ESSA, and partnerships with LDOE, local school systems, and the U.S. Department of Education.

Name

Louisiana BESE

Legal name

Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Website

https://bese.louisiana.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Louisiana BESE is the state's constitutional authority for K-12 education, adopting regulations and policies governing all Louisiana public elementary and secondary schools and administering the LEAP assessment system, 8(g) education trust fund, and statewide accountability frameworks in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Education Governance

NAICS

Administration of Education Programs (923110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Curriculum & Standards Authorities (EDADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Regulatory Authorities & Commissions (Cross-Sector) (EDADAAAD), Subject-Specific Standards & Curriculum Councils (EDADAEAB), School Registration, Licensing & Permitting Authorities (EDADAAAE)

Keywords

• K-12 education governance
• Education policy administration
• State education funding
• School accountability systems
• Educator certification oversight

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BESE is the constitutional authority for K-12 education in Louisiana, responsible for adopting regulations and policies governing all public elementary and secondary schools and performing certain administrative functions for non-public schools. It establishes academic standards, implements accountability systems, allocates state education funding through the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) and 8(g) grants, certifies educators, oversees charter schools, and manages school transfer appeals. The Board exercises budgetary oversight of educational programs statewide and partners with the Louisiana Department of Education for implementation.

Product overview

Louisiana BESE (Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education) is the administrative body for all Louisiana public elementary and secondary schools. Rather than a commercial technology product, BESE operates a portfolio of educational policy programs, grant initiatives, and assessment systems. Key offerings include the 8(g) Quality Education Support Fund grant programs, the LEAP assessment system for K-12 evaluation, the Grow. Achieve. Thrive. accountability framework, and various school choice and educator effectiveness initiatives established through Louisiana legislation (Acts 1, 2, and 3). BESE also oversees work-based learning initiatives like the Bridging Success tour and manages policy bulletins governing school operations, educator certification, and student standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 36% Mastery+ rate statewide on 2026 LEAP assessment (record high)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBESE works closely with the Louisiana Department of Education, which serves as the state education agency that implements BESE's policies and administers statewide programs including the 8(g) Statewide Grant Program. LDOE provides administrative support for BESE initiatives.
• Local School Systems (BESE District Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBESE partners with all Louisiana parish, city, and local school systems to implement education reform initiatives including the 'Bridging Success' statewide tour promoting work-based learning, career education, and workforce development programs.
• U.S. Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBESE collaborates with the U.S. Department of Education on implementation of federal education laws including the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), ensuring Louisiana's education policies align with federal requirements.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Georgia Department of Education: Georgia's state education agency governing K-12 standards, assessments, and funding for public schools, similar in structure, scale, and role to BESE in Louisiana, particularly comparable on accountability system design.
• Texas Education Agency: Texas's state education agency with constitutional/regulatory authority over all public K-12 schools, structurally comparable to BESE but operating at much larger scale in Texas with similar standards-setting and accountability functions.
• New York State Education Department: New York's state education department with regulatory authority over K-12 curriculum, assessment, and school operations—directly comparable to BESE's mandate for setting academic standards and administering statewide assessments.
• California Department of Education: California's state education department overseeing K-12 standards, accountability, and funding distribution, with a similar role to BESE in setting policy for a large state's public schools including assessments and federal compliance.
• Florida Department of Education: Florida's state education agency, structurally analogous to BESE, governing K-12 academic standards, school choice (including ESAs), accountability systems, and funding statewide—particularly comparable given both states' aggressive school choice programs.

Others

• National Association of State Boards of Education: NASBE is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association representing state boards of education like BESE, providing research, policy resources, and peer learning networks for governance bodies in K-12 education.
• Council of Chief State School Officers: CCSSO is a nonpartisan membership organization of the chief state education officials, facilitating coordination among state education agencies including LDOE, BESE's primary implementation partner.

Regional players

• Mississippi Department of Education: Mississippi's state education department, located in a neighboring Gulf South state with similar student demographics, regional education challenges, and K-12 policy environment to Louisiana under BESE oversight.
• Alabama State Department of Education: Alabama's state education agency, operating in a neighboring Southeastern state with comparable K-12 governance structure, similar student demographics, and analogous policy priorities to BESE in Louisiana.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Department of Education: The federal Department of Education sets nationwide K-12 policy, including ESSA implementation, Title funding, and accountability requirements that BESE must align with—operates at broader scope and higher jurisdictional level than BESE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bese_la
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@louisianaBESE
• Facebookfacebook.com/LABESE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/louisiana-bese

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Louisiana BESE