Southeastern selected for meeting with US Secretary of Education

Southeastern Louisiana University officials were selected to attend a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in Baton Rouge this week to discuss the success of its teacher induction and apprenticeship programs. Southeastern was the only university in Louisiana selected to attend.

McMahon’s visit officially launched her “Returning Education to the States” Tour. The secretary is making the rounds to all 50 states for President Trump’s agenda to bring education back to the states. The 50-state tour will highlight innovative local education initiatives, gather feedback from educators and families, and spotlight state-led strategies driving student success.

“President Trump entrusted me with a vital mission to return education to the states, and part of that is learning best practices from each state,” said Secretary McMahon. “I am eager to hear directly from students, educators, and local leaders about the bold ideas that can propel success, while also exploring how we can ensure every family has the freedom to choose the educational path that best fits their child’s needs.”

Louisiana was the first stop on the tour, reflecting the state’s historic gains in K-12 education. Secretary McMahon joined Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley and Secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission Suzie Schowen for school visits and roundtable discussions. During the discussion with Southeastern leaders, the induction and apprenticeship program was discussed as an innovative way to prepare and retain new teachers.

Southeastern senior in English education Collin McClure, who is teaching at Central Middle School in Central City outside of Baton Rouge, shared the unique preparation he received while in Southeastern’s innovative teacher education program.

“The College of Education’s approach to teacher education has been instrumental in preparing me to become a lifelong educator of students for generations to come,” said McClure.

“We thank Secretary McMahon for her focus on Louisiana’s educational success and on Southeastern’s innovative approach to preparing future educators,” said Southeastern President William S. Wainwright.

“I’m immensely proud that Southeastern’s College of Education was chosen to represent Louisiana teacher education at this event,” said College of Education Dean Paula Summers Calderon. “We are proud of the work we do and the teachers we prepare, and I’m delighted that we were able to tell the U.S. Secretary of Education about the good work we do.”

Louisiana students achieved their highest national rankings on The Nation’s Report Card, moving up in all subjects and improving their overall ranking from 49th in 2019 to 32nd in 2024. Louisiana 4th graders have led the nation in reading growth for two consecutive cycles of The Nation’s Report Card and are now ranked 16th in the country. The Education Recovery Scorecard ranks Louisiana first in the nation for reading and second for math. The study also found that Louisiana is the only state where the average student has completed their recovery.

Southeastern’s accredited College of Education houses graduate and undergraduate programs focusing on student success and excellence in education.