John White (Louisiana politician)

White was appointed to the state superintendent position in January 2012 by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.^[3] That year he launched Louisiana Believes.,^[4] the state's plan to ensure every child is on track to college or a professional career. In the time since, White has worked to unify the state's fragmented early childhood system.,^[5] to modernize curriculum.,^[6] to professionalize the preparation of educators.,^[7] to provide pathways to prosperity for all high school graduates.,^[8] and to provide families with expansive school options^[9] irrespective of their financial means.^[10] White announced his resignation on January 8, 2020, effective March 11, 2020.^[11]

Louisiana Believes includes nationally recognized initiatives.^[12] such as Early Childhood Networks, Louisiana Teacher Leaders, English language arts Curriculum Guidebooks, the Believe and Prepare Teacher Residency, and Jump Start career education. Superintendent White and his team have also led the post-Katrina renovation and unification of schools in New Orleans and the creation of the Baton Rouge Achievement Zone.

Louisiana's class of 2018 included 5,000 more graduates than did the class of 2012. Five thousand more students in that class earned the state's TOPS scholarship, and 5,000 more enrolled in college after graduating high school. In that time, the number of Louisiana students earning Advanced Placement early college credits has increased by 167 percent, and the state leads the nation in the percentage of high school seniors completing an application for higher education financial aid.^[10]

Following his resignation in 2020, he was succeeded by Cade Brumley.

White's writings^[13] on education have been published in The Washington Post,^[14] the Wall Street Journal,^[15] the Daily Beast,^[16] The Hill,^[17] and the Brookings Institution’s Evidence Speaks.^[17]