NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana Department of Education’s annual Teacher Leader Summit is taking place May 26-28 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where nearly 7,500 educators are gathering for one of the state’s largest recurring education conferences.
The conference generates a significant influx of visitors for New Orleans hotels, restaurants and convention-related businesses during the late-May period.
This year’s theme, “Big Ideas Start Here,” focuses on classroom instruction, educator leadership and statewide collaboration aimed at improving student outcomes. According to the department, attendees participate in hundreds of sessions covering topics ranging from literacy and math instruction to school leadership, early childhood education and student support services.
A Pivotal Moment
Held as Louisiana posts some of the nation’s strongest academic gains, the summit comes at a pivotal moment for the state’s education system.
Recent national research ranked Louisiana No. 1 in reading growth and No. 2 in math, making it the only state to surpass pre-pandemic achievement levels in both subjects. In Orleans Parish, schools ranked in the 99th percentile nationally for reading growth and 98th for math growth between 2022 and 2025.
At the same time, educators are facing new pressures as federal pandemic aid expires, alongside ongoing challenges including student mental health needs, declining school-age population trends and uncertainty around teacher pay following the expiration of state-funded stipends.
Teacher Leader Summit Programming
The summit officially opened May 26 with a keynote address from Kim Mulkey, head coach of the LSU Women’s Basketball program. The opening session also included the announcement of Louisiana’s 2027 Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year finalists.
