Our businesses and our economy are demanding more of workers - more skill, a more flexible knowledge base and, above all, a greater capacity to learn. Employers need applicants who have a strong academic foundation upon which to build the technical and intellectual expertise that will be required of them on the job. One step our state is taking to address this issue head-on is the Louisiana Scholars program.

Louisiana Scholars is a simple, low-cost, high-impact strategy that motivates students to complete rigorous high school courses that prepare them for college and careers. Students become Louisiana Scholars by successfully completing a specific sequence of academic courses in math, lab sciences, English, foreign language, and social studies. Research has demonstrated that success after high school, whether it's in college or the workplace, is strongly linked to the types of courses students take in high school.