Superintendent of Education John White proposes plans on how to improve public schools to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. White says one way to raise expectations is to increase the benchmarks for a school to achieve an A grade in the state’s rating system. He says right now students only have to earn “basic” scores on math and literacy tests for the school to be rated an A…:
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White says they hope to have these new policy changes in place by the 2017-18 school year.

The man who is facing charges in connection with the death of former NFL player Joe McKnight in an apparent road rage incident has formally entered a plea of not guilty to second degree murder. 55-year-old Ronald Gasser’s lawyers have said they believe the shooting was justifiable homicide.

Two men have been sentenced in Cameron Parish for their role in the theft of over 500 alligator eggs. Adam Einck with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says 48–year-old Paul Canik took the eggs illegally, and 25-year-old Christopher Trahan transported them
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Trahan was ordered to pay a $293 fine. Canick’s fine is $593 and he’s had his egg collection privileges suspended for 18 months.

We’re expected to find out some time this afternoon what Governor John Bel Edwards plans to propose to the legislature in the upcoming session, on ways he believes the state can close a $304 million dollar budget hole. Edwards says he wants to tap into the Rainy Day Fund, and when it comes to cuts — sparing services like those provided by DCFS and higher ed.