Can everyone take their seats please? Good morning. Welcome to Bessie. At this time, I will call our January. Oh, I'm sorry. March half one quarter of our year is gone
already. Where did it go? >> March Bessie meeting to order. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Mr. Appel, Mr. Appel is present. Dr. Armstrong. Dr. Armstrong is present. Mr. Berkin here. >> Mr. Burkin is present. Mr. Cal,
Mr. Cow is not present. Mr. Castile. Mr. Castile is present. Miss Champagne >> here. >> Miss Champagne is present. Dr. Clark. Dr. Clark is not present. Mr. Harris. Mr. Harris is not present. Miss
Holloway. Miss Holloway is present. Miss Melerin. Miss Melerin is not present. Mr. Morris. Mr. Morris is present. You have a quorum. >> Thank you. The invocation today will be provided by
Mr. Royce A. Hooks Senior representing Edna Core High School in Spar Nola Charter Schools. Thank you, Mr. Hooks. Can everyone stand in please? Morning everyone. Uh let's bow our heads. Dear Lord, thank you for waking
us up this morning. Lord, thank you for guiding us and leading us, Lord, and giving us breath this morning, Lord. Thank you for having everybody get here safe and sound to this best meeting, Lord. And also these honores um that are receiving their roles of their perspective parishes and schools, Lord.
Heavenly Father, we pray that we that you would give us gift of knowledge that we might always make the best decisions for the good of all the school children in Louisiana. We pray that we give us the wisdom to know and define our task, the strength to build and refine our
educational goals, and the courage to persevere as necessary. We ask for your dedication that we might make unselfish decisions for those we serve. We pray that all whom are assembled here have a safe journey home. We thank you for all
of your past and future blessings in Jesus name. Amen. >> Please remain standing. We will be led in the pledge today by Jamie Blanchard of the Pacman PLA P Power Schools. Thank you, Miss Blanchard.
>> Of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Next item, please. >> Good morning. Next item on the agenda is
item 2.1, approval of the agenda. >> Can I get a motion to approve item 2.1? Mr. Castile, Miss Holloway. Is there any objection? Seeing none, motion passes.
Next item, please. Next item is item 3.1, consideration of the recognition of community service endorsement recipients. >> Can I get a motion, please? >> Mr. Burkin, Miss Armstrong, I would like now to ask Miss uh Ernie S,
Dr. Ernie Singleton to take over our presentation, please, if you don't mind. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. I would like to introduce the school systems who are here with the highest number of community service diploma endorsement candidates. These
endorsements were awarded to students who completed a minimum of 80 community service hours in grades 9 through 12. The top three school systems are as follows. At NAR High School 247, Jefferson Parish 361,
the Willow School 191. The we have three people representing those particular systems here today and as I call their names would you all please come forward and remain forward. Ednikar High School is represented by Mr. Royce A. Hooks sen uh senior
professional school counselor. Jefferson Parish Schools is represented by Dr. Archia Thomas director of graduation assurance. and the Willow School is represented by Robert Hill, principal.
Congratulations to these school systems on this achievement. >> Congratulations. We will now say have a group photo with um bestie members. Step back a one. There we go. Thank you. >> Thank you so much.
>> Thank you. Congratulations. >> Next item, please. >> Next item is item 3.2, two consideration of the recognition of the 2526 models of excellence honores. >> Awesome. Can you do this one Dr. Brumley? Thank you. >> You want to get motion?
>> Oh, I'm sorry. Uh do I have a motion, Mr. Burkin, Miss Armstrong? Thank you, Dr. Brumley. >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Miss Shan Pine. Um so as everyone knows uh we offer uh our models of excellence award to schools or school systems that
demonstrate uh obviously excellence in a particular area. Um we typically say that for the department uh it's our most prestigious uh award that we offer um internally and we're very selective on uh providing these awards to various
schools and school systems. And so most recently um Miss Holloway joined me uh in Plaqueman's Parish because we awarded the Plaqueman's Parish School System and Superintendent Ritz is here with us today. But we awarded them uh a models
of excellence uh award for their work in uh implementation of the freedom framework history and civic standards throughout K12. As you all uh recall, our board a few years back uh based on
the fact that civics and history standards in Louisiana were were weak. They didn't make enough chronological sense. They didn't have enough rigor. Uh we reworked those standards and put in place a new set of academic standards uh for history and and civics education.
and we've been working in a number of different ways with your help to elevate history and civics education throughout the state of Louisiana. Um, Plaqueman's Parish has really done a fantastic job of working alongside of of us with that uh endeavor. Um, they have invested
heavily in teacher training and professional development. Uh, they've invested heavily with working along our our team to try and make sure that they're as aligned as as they possibly can. um and with their strong leadership at the uh system level and with uh their
training that they provided for teachers uh and with their um fidelity to their curriculum. uh they've made uh really good strides and um they have some of the highest uh history in civics
proficiency mastery plus rates in the entire state of Louisiana and in fact in in several categories uh leading the entire state of Louisiana on their their mastery rates. Um, we talked a lot about English and math rates for mastery not
being where we would like them to be and certainly um they're they're not. They've improved, but uh a secret essentially is that those history and civics and science rates are below the math and English rates. And so the fact that they are really taking this work to
heart, I think uh matters a a great deal. Um and in fact on their high school um civics exam they had roughly 75% of their students at mastery which is really really incredible and a testament to all of the work that
they're doing. So I know that we have already presented them a banner which I think they have with them but um we have another uh banner maybe uh but uh at this point in time we do want to uh ask the uh Plaeman's Parish School System to
come forward uh and receive recognition. We'd love to take a picture with you and immediately following that superintendent if you'd offer a couple of of remarks. So let's give them a round of applause. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Bronley, for the
opportunity. About a week ago, we had the pleasure of some visitors from Dr. Brumley as well as Miss Holloway took time of their schedule, but many, many people from the Department of Ed, they came down, they made that trip. It's a pretty long trip. You know, when you
look at Plaan's Parish, they made the time to recognize teachers and students. They paused their day because they knew it was important. When we look at standards and we talk about implementation, we take pride in the
work that we do in Blackman's Parish, it gives us the opportunity to showcase our kids, our community, and we want to say thank you for that through the implementation. It was tough work. Anytime anything changes, we have to take it on with grace, but then also
trust the resources that are out there. We will appreciate the work that the state department has done. The academic team is amazing from Dr. chess on always the Dr. Matthews the whole crew they're open and they're listening so you have a great team working with you Dr. Brumley,
you really do and I appreciate all the efforts. But for you to take time to come on down, Miss Holloway, we appreciate that. Our community took pride in this. It made them feel like they are being seen and they're being heard and we appreciate that. Plaquemans
is an incredible place to be and we're on the map and we're glad to say we're here and we're going to make more impacts. So, thank you for your opportunity. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you all for your service. We appreciate y'all. Miss Holloway.
>> Yes. Um, Miss Shelley Ritz, this is what effective leadership looks like with your team. And I've been on Bessie 10 years going on 11. It's incredible what I have I've uh
recognized noticed experienced high quality. Thank you. and your students and parents truly appreciate that along with your staff. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Next item, please. >> Next item on the agenda is item 4.1, approval of the minutes from January 14th 2026. >> Can I get a motion to approve the minutes, please? Miss Holloway, Miss Armstrong, is there any objection?
Seeing no objection, motion passes. Next item, please. >> Next item is item 5.1, report by the state superintendent of education. >> Can I get a motion, please? Mr. Burkin, Mr. Mars. >> Thank you, Miss uh.
So, uh just a few notes for everyone. I want to let you all know that we have released our physical education standards for public uh comment. Um, we have been working on those to try to strengthen uh those PE standards moving forward. Uh, we definitely think it's
time to pay additional attention to physical fitness uh for students and uh thinking about how that relates to lifetime health. Um, and so the public comment portal for that is open um through April 15th. Um so if you or
anyone else uh would like to provide any public comments to those draft standards that have been uh written by that uh that committee and those work groups uh please make sure that they provide those public comments by April 15th. Uh also as you all know we received approval
from the feds uh for one of our waiverss relative to um returning education to the states. That particular waiver will help give local education agencies additional flexibilities on the utilization of their of their funds. Uh we will be providing as an agency
additional support and training um to the ELEAs moving forward um so that they'll better understand how they might utilize some of those opportunities. Um finally, just want to highlight that Secretary McMahon did make a a visit to
Louisiana. again, um we're the only state where she keeps coming back. Um and so want to thank all the Bessie members that uh were in attendance there in New Orleans when we hosted her and uh certainly wanted to mention Dr. Clark even in her absence today because uh the
the kids at her school did a really fantastic job of of hosting the secretary. Um and when the secretary um held a a civics test in the middle of the auditorium for several hundred students and asked about 30 questions,
uh Dr. Clark's kids got every single question right. And I'm I'm sitting there with this with um with Governor Landry by my side praying that these children get every question right. And uh my prayers were answered and they did
a fantastic job without even having the questions in advance. by the way. Um, so just wanted to mention that. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you, Dr. Rmley. Next item, please. >> Next item on the agenda is item 6.1,
reports from members of Bessie Statutory and Legislative Task Force Council appointees. >> Can I get a motion, please? Mr. Appel, Mr. Kyle, are there any objections? Seeing none, motion passes. Any comment?
>> Next item, please. >> Madam Chair, >> do we have any comments? Yes. Okay. >> I just want to remind everyone uh I will begin uh chairing SEP, which is the special ed advisory panel and our meeting will be Wednesday, March 18th,
next week. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Morris. It's at one o'clock. Sorry. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um I I didn't attend a a meeting per se. uh that this item speaks to particularly, but I did want to share with members one
experience I had recently. Um I was invited by two uh of DOE staff to attend the state beta convention uh that was held in Baton Rouge on February 12th. It it was actually the second time I had attended a beta convention. Uh the first
time I attended, I just recently got elected uh to serve on this board and uh after that initial experience, I texted then Superintendent John White and share with him that this was my very first nerd convention, but it but it was a
very positive uh experience uh just to see seven six or 7,000 kids from our state uh and and what they brought to our state. But on my recent visit on February 12th, there was something else that really stood out to me that I wanted to share with members.
Um the four pillars of of beta are achievement character leadership and service. And at the particular meeting that I attended, uh at least for the time I was there, the focus was on um
officer uh or candidates for for officer service. And each one of these students was on stage in front of 6,000 plus students uh to uh to make their case for for serving in that officer capacity.
Several of the students frankly really struggled. They they had to come to a pause and collect themselves. And what I was so impressed with was the response from the 6,000 plus students in in the Canes River Center.
uh they they just applauded and cheered and encouraged these kids that were struggling and it was just a clear demonstration of their character and their leadership that stood out to me and impressed impressed me so much uh to to see young people uh respond in such a
way to to support these kids that were really struggling uh in their efforts to to provide leadership. So just want to call that out and I wanted to thank uh Dr. Keith Leger and uh Miss Ashley Townson who serve in leadership capacity with the Beta organization. So thank you
for your service. Uh just really really really impressed with that organization and and the students that are engaged there and thank you for providing that opportunity to our students. So thank you Madam Chair. >> Mr. Mars, thank you Mr. Le. I've had the opportunity to attend BETA also. Very
impressive. Very impressive. So I urge everyone if you're invited to please go and attend Beta and see these wonderful students throughout our state. You'd be very pleased and impressed. Mr. Burkin. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to
thank Dr. Brumley and members of his team for attending or coming to my area of the state a few weeks ago. Uh you, Madam Chair, were Madam President were there as well. Um Ted Beasley and Matthew Johnson, I think that was it. Uh
we toured seven schools. There was eight total. One was the blue ribbon school, but we toured seven schools. Teavas Parish, Aadia Parish, and Lafayette Parish. And what struck me most about u this tour
was seeing how the new accountability system is being implemented and played out in these schools on a very real basis. Um, we noticed at on the schools that we went to walls as some as big as
that sidewall over there where each one of the kids in elementary or their schools were on that wall with a red section, a yellow section, green and blue. And each
one of these kids were um really focused on uh because of the accountability system that cortile that says we want to move these kids from the bottom 25% and move them up. Each one of
the kids were were talked about with the teachers and the staff and how can we move this child from here uh and move them up into the other area. And I got to thinking as all of this played out over the day and a half period was how
great it is to see something that we implemented that was such u controversial to be implemented. And it I thought to myself, wow, and I didn't know before, but what a
um no child a true no child left behind policy that has been implemented. And um I think it will continue to pay dividends. So I just wanted to report u that the things that we do here actually
uh it has a longlasting effect and I think will um continue I hope that it will continue for us to move up the ladder against the other states. So uh thanks to Dr. Brumley and just to share with um my colleagues that um it was a
good thing. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Burken. Dr. Armstrong, >> and I want to piggy back what U. Mr. Mr. Burkin was talking about the blue ribbon school recognitions because with the department of uh education abolishing
that national program, I want to commend the state and the department of education for continuing that recognition program because going and having uh the opportunity to visit so many of these schools, we know why they're blue ribbon schools and how much
it means to the students, the parents, the staff and teachers. and administrators all over those parishes. So, thank you for recognizing them and hoping that you will continue in the future with this recognition. >> Thank you, Dr. Armstrong.
>> Yeah, just a few comments. So, Mr. Burkin was able to see how fast we move on uh these these school visits. So, I appreciate you and Miss Shanine uh uh visiting those schools with us. But on the blue ribbon piece, um the nationally the feds did uh basically announce those
winners and then say, "Well, we're ending the program." And so schools uh throughout the state were a little bit conflicted on how to handle that. And so really want to thank uh Troy Falls, Jennifer Totleton, the entire school system relations team for stepping up and uh working with schools to make
those presentations uh so incredible. I mean, I know that many of you uh attended one or attended multiple and uh they were a ton of fun and so uh just want to thank our team for putting in the effort to make that happen. >> Thank you, Dr. Brumley. >> Any other comments?
Next item, please. >> Next item on agenda is 7.1, Academic Goals and Instructional Improvement Committee. Mr. Pale. >> On behalf of the Academic Goals and Instructional Improvement Committee, I move to approve motions 1- 16, noting
items 10 through 14 are notices of intent. >> Do I have a second, Miss Armstrong? Dr. Armstrong, is there any objections? Seeing no objection, motion passes. Next item, please.
>> Next item is item 7.2, Board Administration Education Finance Committee. Mr. Bergken. >> Madame President, on behalf of the board, Administration and Education Finance Committee, I move to approve motions 1 through 15, noting Dr. Clark
and Mr. Castile's recusal from items number 9 through 12 and noting item number 15 as notice of intent. >> Do I have a second, Miss Holloway? Is there any objection?
Seeing none, motion passes. Next item, please. The >> next item on the agenda is item 7.3, Educator Effectiveness Committee. Miss Holloway, >> on behalf of the Educator Effectiveness Committee, I move to approve motions 1
through 39, noting items numbers four and five as notice of intent. Can I get a second, please? Mr. Morris, is there any objection? Seeing no objection, motion passes.
Next item, please. >> Next item is item 7.4, Legislative and Government Affairs Committee, Dr. Armstrong. Do I have a second, Mr. Castile? Is there any objections?
Seeing no objections, motion passes. Next item, please. >> Next item is item 7.5, school innovation and turnaround committee. Mr. Castile. >> On behalf of the school innovation and turnar around committee, I move to approve motions one through two.
>> Do I have a second? Mr. Burken, is there any objection? Seeing no objection, motion passes. Next item, please. >> Next item is item 8.1, public comments regarding any Bessie rule contained in the Louisiana Administrative Code Title
28. The recommendation is to receive the public comments and to direct Bessie staff to submit the required summary report to the legislative oversight committee. Can I get a a motion? Mr. Morris, Miss Holloway, is there any objection?
Seeing none, motion passes. Next item, please. >> That concludes the agenda. >> Miss Champa. >> Miss Adam, it occurred to me while just recently while Mr. Morris was making his beta comments and he mentioned Dr. Leger and and Miss Townson. I think that Mr.
Claxton is also on the council and so just want to recognize him for serving on the beta council as well. >> Thank you, Superintendent. >> Madam President, could I say something? >> Any objections? Oh, Mr. uh Appeal. >> Thank you. Um first, two two quick
things before we go. Uh I I want once again to thank uh uh Ronnie Morris for his passion and his drive getting the uh AI committee together and seeing that it operated effectively developed a really
good uh blueprint for AI adoption as we go forward in the state of Louisiana. That was a thankless task and we we appreciate it, Mr. Morris. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, M. And number two, um I just wanted to make sure everybody understands the significance of the
legislative session we're in. Uh there are bills there all well-intentioned uh but could do uh I don't want to say harm but could change the direction of some of the policies that we have adopted as a board. So we need to pay
particular attention especially to the uh amendment process and that's difficult because amendments happen very quickly. Uh but things can happen in a legislative committee that are not intended. Um so I'm just charging us as
members of the board to pay attention to what's going on in the legislature and uh give assistance whenever we can. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Appel. Any other comments? Uh I'd like to thank our staff as well as Dr. Brumley and our LDOE
staff. Thank you for always being there, always hearing us, always answering. Um so we do appreciate y'all. Uh meeting adjourned.