Baton Rouge, LA – The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) released the following statement after the president of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), rescinded an emergency rule to immediately create a graduation appeals process ahead of its implementation date. While the emergency rule has been rescinded, LABI remains opposed to BESE’s proposed graduation appeals process.

“The graduation appeals process would water down Louisiana public high school diplomas, cause confusion and uncertainty for employers trying to fill job openings and artificially inflate graduation rates, school performance scores, and school letter grades,” said LABI President and CEO Will Green. “Let’s address the root of the problem. We should be focused on high dosage reading and math tutoring for those students who are struggling, not handing out diplomas to beef up school performance scores. We’re glad cooler heads prevailed, and we look forward to working with BESE, and a new Administration on student-focused education solutions.”  

For background regarding LABI’s position on this issue, check out the LABI Program of Work.