Louisiana is the second state to receive
the Returning Education to the States Waiver
The U.S. Department of Education today approved Louisiana’s Returning Education to the States Waiver, empowering state education officials with greater discretion over federal education dollars. Louisiana is the second state to receive this waiver, which allows state leaders to focus federal dollars on efforts that best improve student academic achievement.
This waiver allows the state to better align certain federal dollars with Louisiana’s education priorities, including reading and math, high-dosage tutoring, career education, teacher recruitment and retention, and attendance.
Louisiana’s waiver mirrors Iowa’s request to consolidate state activities funds and direct more federal resources to improving student achievement rather than federal compliance—freeing more than $18 million from bureaucratic red tape and directing those resources to classrooms through fiscal year 2029. This approach gives Louisiana more flexibility to make strategic decisions about how funds are used, ensuring resources directly support students and schools.
“Louisiana is leading the nation in academic progress because we made strategic, student-centered investments,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “We appreciate the U.S. Department of Education for recognizing our results and trusting us to continue making the best decisions for the children of our state.”
“Today’s approval of Louisiana’s Returning Education to the States Waiver is a decisive step in empowering state leaders who are urgently working to improve student achievement,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “After implementing evidence-based reforms grounded in the Science of Reading, Louisiana has made some of the strongest literacy gains in the country, underscoring the impact that disciplined leadership can make when given the freedom to innovate. With this new flexibility, the Bayou State is well-positioned to accelerate their remarkable progress, cut through red tape, and drive even stronger results for students and families.”
The Louisiana Department of Education submitted a waiver request seeking to reduce administrative burden and more effectively align programs with the needs of Louisiana students. With the U.S. Department of Education’s approval, the LDOE can consolidate federal state activities funds through fiscal year 2029, totaling more than $18 million in federal funds. Louisiana will continue to account for administrative and state activities funds separately.
The approval comes as Louisiana continues to make historic academic gains. The state was recently ranked No. 1 in the nation for reading progress and No. 2 for math progress on the Education Recovery Scorecard. Louisiana is also the only state to surpass 2019 levels in both reading and math.
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