EdTrust in Louisiana
Who We Are
The Education Trust in Louisiana works to promote educational equity for historically underserved students in the Louisiana’s schools. We work alongside students, families, and communities to build urgency and collective will for educational equity and justice.
What We Do
WE BRIDGE POLICY AND COMMUNITY: We seek to influence policy in Louisiana by engaging and equipping key education stakeholders, including policymakers, thought leaders, practitioners, community groups, civic organizations, parents, and students. Our goal is to drive a state conversation about how our public education system can better serve students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, pre-k through college.
WE WORK ALONGSIDE ADVOCATES:
- To draw attention to inequities in Louisiana by identifying and analyzing data that disproportionately impact underserved students across the state
- To equip partners with actionable and accessible tools to advance better educational outcomes and opportunities for underserved students
- To advocate for policies and practices that improve opportunities and outcomes for students of color, linguistically diverse students, students from economically-disadvantaged families, and students with disabilities
Meet Our Team
Tramelle Howard, J.D.
State Director of Louisiana
Tramelle Howard is an educator, community advocate and a deep believer in the urgent need to advance equity in all of its forms across every context.
View Profile >
Keiara Skipper
Manager of External Relations (Louisiana)
Keiara is responsible for collaborating with the EdTrust Louisiana state director to advance EdTrust’s equity-driven policy goals in Louisiana.
View Profile >Press Releases
Statement by EdTrust in Louisiana on the 2026 State Budget Cycle
Louisiana is facing a familiar and consequential budget choice: whether to prioritize investments that strengthen public education or to continue expanding programs without the guardrails needed to ensure equity and impact
Statement by EdTrust in Louisiana on the Federal Government Shutdown and Its Impact on Louisiana Students and Families
Thousands of Louisana students and families could lose Head Start and SNAP services if the shutdown continues into November.
Blog
Two Stories That Prove Access to Higher Ed Courses Can Provide a High-Quality Education
All students deserve the opportunity to thrive. One way is to give high schoolers early access to college-level courses. Dual-enrollment programs are a powerful tool that equals the playing field…
Resources
From First-Gen to First-of-Many: How TRIO Changes What’s Possible
TRIO programs open college pathways for students who are first-generation, low-income, and from groups historically excluded from higher education
How Does Louisiana Support Student’s Social, Emotional, and Academic Development (SEAD)?
This brief highlights how Louisiana is supporting students’ SEAD and areas for growth across six policy issues, as well as questions to ask district leaders about local implementation.
Educator Diversity State Profile: Louisiana
Louisiana Demographic Data (2019-20) - Research says that teacher diversity benefits all students, regardless of race or ethnicity. However, while the majority of students in the u.s. Are of color, only about 20% of teachers are of color.