Today, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved an appeals process for qualifying high school seniors who do not meet the state’s LEAP test scoring requirement for graduation. Of the eight states that still require minimum standardized test scores for graduation, only Louisiana has not offered students an appeals process for that requirement. The new policy provides an appeal option for seniors who have demonstrated the knowledge and skills sufficient to graduate, but struggle with difficulties related to standardized assessments, such as English Language learners and students with other learning challenges.