"Teach LA Live" Enhances Customer Service, Enables Digital Submission of Certification Requests
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Louisiana Department of Education today launched "Teach LA Live," a new online educator certification portal designed to improve customer service and enable digital submission of teacher certification requests.
"An upgrade to Louisiana's teacher certification process, which until now was handled exclusively by mail, is overdue," said State Superintendent John White. "We're excited to provide school systems, preparation providers and aspiring educators with a digital platform that not only makes this important process easier to navigate but that cuts down on the turnaround time of becoming certified."
The portal, which can be accessed through the Department's main website, will allow for direct, tracked communication among Department staff, school system personnel directors and their teams and educators; electronic submission of fillable PDF certification applications; and online payment of fees for certification applications.
The transition to a digital platform comes in response to feedback from school system and preparation partners about how to improve the certification process. The Department developed the portal in Fall 2017 and piloted the platform in select school systems and preparation providers ahead of today's statewide launch.
"Being involved in piloting the portal has only reemphasized our own necessities for on-line processes that increase efficiency and functionality for the teachers, staff members and school systems," said Shannon LaFargue, chief operating officer at the Calcasieu Parish School Board. "We found the site to be user-friendly, and the response time was significantly noticeable. The new certification portal will have an immediate, positive impact on educators and personnel departments throughout the state."
Louis Voiron, Jr., director of human resources at the Lafourche Parish School Board, agreed: "The portal has been very user-friendly for both individuals applying for certification and local education agencies' personnel. The new process is much more efficient, and I look forward to the statewide launch."