Louisiana Education and Teaching Overview

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that there were 675,851 students and 45,951 teachers in Louisiana for the 2006-2007 school year. With a national student teacher ratio of 15.5:1, Louisiana shows a slightly better ratio with a 14.7:1 student teacher ratio. The fact that Louisiana students scored below average on math, reading and writing assessments, according to 2005 data, shows the increasing need for qualified teachers teaching in Louisiana.


Louisiana Teacher Requirements

Struggling to recover from the devastation of hurricane Katrina, the state of Louisiana is now more dedicated to educational reform and improvement than ever before. Many reforms have been put into place to increase salaries for educators teaching in Louisiana and to improve the education system overall.

Rural areas are experiencing significant teacher shortages, which has improved the outlook for new teachers finding teaching jobs in Louisiana. The state has also implemented a number of incentives and reforms to improve teacher recruitment and retention including loan forgiveness and increased compensation for highly qualified teachers.

Louisiana is in the midst of reforms and change aimed at making significant improvements in educational infrastructure and teacher training and compensation. Because of this, teaching in Louisiana has a brighter future than it has perhaps ever experienced and is improving every day.

Louisiana Teacher Requirements

Louisiana has about 25% of their teachers ready to retire over the next few years, and up to 50% of their educators reaching retirement age before year 2020. With figures like this showing in the immediate future for Louisiana, taking on the job of teaching in Louisiana can hold job security for the rest of a young candidates working career.

The state of Louisiana suffers from teacher shortage areas like other areas of the United States. Incentives are given by the United States government to new college graduates who would like to enter shortage areas in all parts of the country. However, Louisiana colleges are not producing enough trained teachers to meet all classroom needs.

Louisiana needs energetic teachers who are trained in mathematics, sciences, and special education concerns, as well as people who would like to teach in all other subject or age-group areas. In the future teaching in Louisiana can include new programs or plans that are being urged into place by the U.S. president who is in favor of helping schools.

Future plans that are being discussed today for American schools include ideas that may make Louisiana a very viable place to host a teaching career. With the ‘No Child Left Behind’ program about to be replaced, and new programs for teacher incentives in the works to entice BA degree holders into the career of teaching, those holding teaching jobs in Louisiana stand to benefit as these progressive education changes go into place.

Online Colleges Offering Education and Teaching Degrees

Accreditation  

University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. .

Programs Offered  
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Credential
Accreditation  

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of The North Central Association,www.ncahlc.org; 312-263-0456.

Accreditation  

The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Accreditation  

Western Governors University is the only university to have received simultaneous accreditation by four regional accrediting commissions. Currently, WGU’s "home" accrediting commission is the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the same organization that accredits such leading institutions as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and other public and private colleges. WGU is also nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). WGU is the first online university to receive NCATE accreditation for its degree programs that lead to teacher licensure from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). WGU’s Health Informatics program is now accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). WGU’s Nursing programs are CCNE accredited.

Campus Colleges Offering Education and Teaching Degrees

Accreditation  

University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. .

Programs Offered  
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Credential
Accreditation  

Kaplan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Accreditation  

McCann School of Business & Technology is accredited to award occupational associate degrees and certification diplomas by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education,.

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Teaching Salaries
Elementary School Teacher
$40,584
High School Teaching
$42,802
Education Admin for Elementary School
$65,372
School Principal
$82,696
 Source: PayScale.com
 * Based on 5 years experience