Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday his panel to review key public school policies will not run afoul of one underway for months by the state Department of Education.
"I don't want anybody to say what we are doing is counter to the Department of Education," Edwards said. "That is not true."
The governor said his advisory council will work with department officials in a second review sparked by a 2015 federal law called the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA.
"This is very important and it is the best chance we have had in a long time to shape education in ถถา๕h," Edwards said.
The governor made his comments to open the first meeting of his 15-member ESSA Advisory Council.
The rival review has sparked predictions of possible conflicts with any department recommendations on how public school regulations should be changed.
The governor has vastly different views on public schools than state Superintendent of Education John White, who is leading the department's review.
In addition, the advisory council is filled with representatives of traditional public school groups, and several critics of White.
Louisian has to avoid political brawls during its federally required review of public schoo…
Forecasts that the panel will try to undo key changes of recent years, including major alterations in how public schools are graded, has also accompanied the formation of the governor's study group.
Last month the state Department of Education issued a draft proposal.
That list includes modest changes in how school letter grades are calculated and a call for fewer tests.
State Superintendent of Education John White Wednesday recommended changes in how public sch…
Erin Bendily, a top aide to White, briefed the council on what the department has done, including statewide public hearings and input from about 200 groups and 1,000 individuals.
How the council's review will mesh with department recommendations quickly surfaced.
"I just want to ask a question and it is not meant to disparage the department," said Debbie Meaux, a member of the council and president of the ถถา๕h Association of Educators.
Meaux asked Bendily whether the department is open to changes in its draft report.
Bendily said the agency is open to suggestions.
"That is all this is, a conversation starter," she said of the draft. "We would definitely welcome your input."
Said Meaux, "That helps to defuse the tension, to know that we are actually being listened to."
White announced on Sept. 28 that the proposed changes include a switch in how public school letter grades are figured.
Grades now are based mostly on key test results.
Under the change, 25 percent of the grade would stem from the growth of student achievement, regardless of final scores.
Also, end-of-year testing would be limited to no more than one week per student, and state exams in math and English for high school students would be trimmed.
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is scheduled to approve a final plan in early 2017.
It will then be sent to the U.S. Department of Education.
Edwards noted that the ESSA law won bipartisan support in Congress, and gives states new freedom to set education policies ย after the more restrictive No Child Left Behind law.
The public school agendas of Gov. John Bel Edwards and state Superintendent of Education Joh…
"Now we have tremendous flexibility, and we have to take advantage of it," he said.
The governor said officials also have the chance to craft a more "rationale" system to oversee public schools.
The advisory council is under a tight deadline.
A draft report is due by Dec. 31.
The next meeting is set for Nov. 4.
The panel essentially divided topics into subcommittees, including standards and assessments; teacher preparation; aid for struggling schools; early childhood education and public school funding.