Editing Louisiana (section)

==Education==
{{Further|List of school districts in Louisiana|List of high schools in Louisiana|List of colleges and universities in Louisiana|French immersion#USA{{!}}French immersion in Louisiana}}
[[File:Louisiana State University (aerial view).jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Louisiana State University's flagship campus]]

Despite ranking as the third-least educated state as of 2023, preceded by Mississippi and [[West Virginia]],<ref name=":10" /> Louisiana is home to over 40 public and private [[List of colleges and universities in Louisiana|colleges and universities]] including: [[Louisiana State University]] in Baton Rouge; [[Louisiana Tech University]] in Ruston, the [[University of Louisiana at Lafayette]] in Lafayette; and [[Tulane University]] in New Orleans. Louisiana State University is the largest and most comprehensive university in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lsu.edu/about/index.php|title=About Us|first=Louisiana State University|last=(LSU)|website=Lsu.edu|access-date=December 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220025758/http://lsu.edu/about/index.php|archive-date=February 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Louisiana Tech University is one the most well regarded public universities in the state.<ref>{{cite web|date=April 25, 2023|title=Louisiana Tech earns 2023-24 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools Rankings|url=https://www.latech.edu/2023/04/25/louisiana-tech-earns-2024-u-s-news-world-report-best-graduate-schools-rankings/|access-date=June 2, 2023|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602061657/https://www.latech.edu/2023/04/25/louisiana-tech-earns-2024-u-s-news-world-report-best-graduate-schools-rankings/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=January 24, 2023|title=Louisiana Tech ranks number one in the state for online MBA program|url=https://www.knoe.com/2023/01/24/louisiana-tech/?outputType=amp|access-date=June 2, 2023|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602061656/https://www.knoe.com/2023/01/24/louisiana-tech/?outputType=amp|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=September 20, 2022|title=Forbes names Tech one of two top Louisiana Publics|url=https://www.latech.edu/2022/09/20/forbes-names-tech-one-of-two-top-louisiana-publics/|access-date=June 2, 2023|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602061656/https://www.latech.edu/2022/09/20/forbes-names-tech-one-of-two-top-louisiana-publics/|url-status=live}}</ref> The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the second-largest institution in the state, became the third university in the state to achieve [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|''R1: Doctoral universities – very high research activity'']] status in December 2021.<ref>{{cite web|date=December 17, 2021|title=UL Lafayette achieves Carnegie's prestigious R1 designation|url=https://louisiana.edu/news-events/news/20211217/ul-lafayette-achieves-carnegie%E2%80%99s-prestigious-r1-designation|access-date=2022-01-24|website=University of Louisiana at Lafayette|language=en|archive-date=January 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124015823/https://louisiana.edu/news-events/news/20211217/ul-lafayette-achieves-carnegie%E2%80%99s-prestigious-r1-designation|url-status=live}}</ref> Tulane University is a major private research university and the wealthiest university in Louisiana with an endowment over $2{{spaces}}billion in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hutchinson |first1=Piper |title=Louisiana university endowment growth trails national average |url=https://lailluminator.com/2024/02/15/louisiana-university-endowment-growth-trails-national-average/ |website=Louisiana Illuminator |access-date=25 March 2025 |date=15 February 2024}}</ref> Tulane is also highly regarded for its academics nationwide, consistently ranked in the top 100 on ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'s'' [[U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking|list of best national universities]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities |title=National University Rankings &#124; Top National Universities &#124; US News Best Colleges |access-date=December 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223062922/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities |archive-date=February 23, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Louisiana's two oldest and largest [[historically black colleges and universities]] (HBCUs) are [[Southern University]] in Baton Rouge and [[Grambling State University]] in Grambling. Both these [[Southwestern Athletic Conference]] (SWAC) schools compete against each other in football annually in the much anticipated [[Bayou Classic]] during Thanksgiving weekend in the [[Mercedes-Benz Superdome|Superdome]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Bayou Classic|url=https://ehbcsports.com/bayou-classic/|access-date=2022-01-24|website=Black College Sports History & Legends|language=en-US|archive-date=January 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124022818/https://ehbcsports.com/bayou-classic/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Of note among the education system, the [[Louisiana Science Education Act]] was a controversial law passed by the [[Louisiana State Legislature|Louisiana Legislature]] on June 11, 2008, and signed into law by Governor [[Bobby Jindal]] on June 25.<ref>{{cite web |author=Senator Ben Nevers |url=http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=211183 |title=SB733 |publisher=Louisiana Legislature |access-date=June 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922203430/http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=211183 |archive-date=September 22, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The act allowed public school teachers to use supplemental materials in the science classroom which are critical of established science on such topics as the theory of evolution and global warming.<ref name="dawkins-dvorsky">{{cite web|url=http://www.richarddawkins.net/news_articles/2013/1/15/how-19-year-old-activist-zack-kopplin-is-making-life-hell-for-louisiana-s-creationists |title=How 19-year-old Zack Kopplin is making life hell for Louisiana's creationists |publisher=Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science |date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=March 9, 2013 |author=Dvorsky, George |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225135235/http://www.richarddawkins.net/news_articles/2013/1/15/how-19-year-old-activist-zack-kopplin-is-making-life-hell-for-louisiana-s-creationists |archive-date=February 25, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Weiss | first = Joanna | title = Jindal's creationism problem | work = [[Boston Globe]] | date = January 29, 2013 | access-date = April 22, 2013 | url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-34181421.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140611063457/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-34181421.html | url-status=dead | archive-date = June 11, 2014 }}</ref>

In 2000, of all of the states, Louisiana had the highest percentage of students in private schools. Danielle Dreilinger of ''[[The Times Picayune]]'' wrote in 2014 that "Louisiana parents have a national reputation for favoring private schools."<ref name="Dreilingerenrollmentfalls">{{cite web|author=Dreilinger, Danielle|url=https://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2014/02/private_school_enrollment_fall.html|title=Private school enrollment falls 5% in Louisiana, even more in New Orleans, Baton Rouge areas|newspaper=[[The Times Picayune]]|date=February 3, 2014|access-date=May 26, 2020|archive-date=February 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208170047/https://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2014/02/private_school_enrollment_fall.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The number of students in enrolled in private schools in Louisiana declined by 9% from {{Circa|2000–2005}} until 2014, due to the proliferation of [[charter schools]], the [[2008 recession]] and [[Hurricane Katrina]]. Ten parishes in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans area had a combined 17% decline in private school enrollment in that period. This prompted private schools to lobby for [[school vouchers]].<ref name="Dreilingerenrollmentfalls" />

Louisiana's school voucher program is known as the Louisiana Scholarship Program. It was available in the New Orleans area beginning in 2008 and in the rest of the state beginning in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|author=Dreilinger, Danielle|url=https://www.nola.com/news/education/article_4de31720-5901-5315-999c-8608c2248574.html|title=Half of Louisiana's voucher students at D or F schools in program's first year, data shows|newspaper=[[The Times Picayune]]|date=November 29, 2013|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529192517/https://www.nola.com/news/education/article_4de31720-5901-5315-999c-8608c2248574.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, the number of students using [[school vouchers]] to attend private schools was 6,751, and for 2014 it was projected to exceed 8,800.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2014/07/private_school_vouchers_will_be_used_to_educate_almost_9000_louisiana_students.html|title=Private school vouchers will be used to educate almost 9,000 Louisiana students|newspaper=[[The Times Picayune]]|date=July 9, 2014|access-date=May 26, 2020|archive-date=December 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216112752/http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2014/07/private_school_vouchers_will_be_used_to_educate_almost_9000_louisiana_students.html|url-status=live}}</ref>{{update inline|date=July 2023}} As per a ruling from [[Ivan Lemelle]], a U.S. district judge, the federal government has the right to review the charter school placements to ensure they do not further racial segregation.<ref>{{cite web|author=Dreilinger, Danielle|url=http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2013/11/federal_government_has_right_t.html|title=Federal government has right to examine voucher assignments, judge says|newspaper=[[The Times Picayune]]|date=November 22, 2013|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-date=December 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216073855/http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2013/11/federal_government_has_right_t.html|url-status=live}}</ref>