• Increase the college and workforce readiness of all high school students
• Increase literacy, math, science and critical thinking skills
• Improve the quality of our state’s future workforce
• Create lasting business, community, and school partnerships
  

PROGRAM

The purpose of Louisiana Scholars is to encourage ALL high school students to take a more rigorous course of study. To become a Louisiana Scholars, students must complete the Louisiana Scholars Core Course of Study.

In return, students receive incentives provided by the local business community, as well as special recognition events in their honor. Plus, research suggests that students who complete a rigorous course of study score higher on the ACT and SAT than their peers and are more likely to go to college.

To implement the program, partnerships are formed among educators, local business leaders, and Louisiana Scholars staff. This group recruits members of the business community to go into eighth grade classrooms and give students a 30-minute presentation telling them why they need to take a more rigorous course of study. The students receive a contract to take home to their parents. Both the student and the parent must sign the contract then give it to their school counselor before the student signs up for the Louisiana Scholars Core Course of Study.

CORE COURSE OF STUDY

COURSES YEARS

English ( I, II, III, IV ) 4

Math ( Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II ) 3

Lab Science ( Biology, Chemistry, Physics ) 3

Social Studies ( World Geography, Free Enterprise / Civics, American History, World History ) 4

Foreign Language (Of the same foreign language) 2

TOTAL= 16

WHY LOUISIANA SCHOLARS?

Students who complete the Louisiana Scholars courses will be better prepared for the future. As jobs increasingly require higher skill levels, this program will effectively prepare students for postsecondary education and employment. Employers will benefit from a more highly skilled workforce, supporting Louisiana’s economic vitality and strengthening local communities.

Bureau of Labor Statistics projections show that 80% of the 50 fastest-growing jobs will require education beyond high school and that 40% of all new jobs will require at least an associate’s degree. Even for those jobs that do not require postsecondary education, employers are seeking employees who are proficient in reading, math and science; who can solve problems; work in teams; and communicate effectively.

Most importantly, they are looking for employees who can learn new technical skills throughout their lives. And yet a large percentage of high school students graduate without the solid academic foundation they need to succeed in higher education and the rapidly evolving workplace. A U.S. Department of Education study found that taking rigorous classes was a more accurate predictor of student success than grades, test scores or class rank, especially among minority students.

Students

• Academic preparation. Rigorous academic coursework prepares students for postsecondary education and training without remediation and provides them with greater lifelong flexibility to pursue education and careers.
  

Employers & Business Community

• Prepared workforce. Employers need applicants who have a strong academic foundation upon which to build the technical and intellectual training for an entry-level position and, ultimately, a career. Louisiana Scholars encourages students to complete courses that will provide them with a fundamentally sound background for the future, irrespective of the vocation they choose to pursue.

The Community

• Motivate students. Louisiana Scholars encourages students to set high standards and goals for themselves and then utilize community support to reward those efforts. Some students do not envision themselves being able to attend college, much less complete high school. Louisiana Scholars defines an academic pathway for achieving future success.
  
  
• Teamwork. Educating youth is everyone's responsibility. Louisiana Scholars provides a simple, straightforward means of involving many different elements of a community, from the initial steering committee to the volunteer presenter to the sponsor of the rewards and recognition. There is a role for everyone.

BACKGROUND

In 2006, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) selected the Committee for a SECURE Louisiana to implement the State Scholars Initiative in Louisiana. Louisiana Scholars is recognized and supported by the Louisiana Department of Education, the Louisiana Board of Regents, and the Office of the Governor.

SSI encourages students to take a secondary school curriculum that will prepare them for successful entry in higher education or the workforce. Louisiana joined 23 other states that have participated in the SSI network: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education oversees the national State Scholars Initiative and the program is funded by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education of the U.S. Department of Education.