BATON ROUGE - Louisiana education officials are considering changing teacher licensing requirements, two years after the state implemented an experimental program aimed at shoring up new teachers' classroom skills.

The program, dubbed Believe and Prepare, was launched in 2014 with five school districts, two charter school organizations and five "preparation providers," which may be universities or alternative certification programs.

On Monday, 41 districts, 17 charter school organizations and two dozen preparation providers all are working to bolster aspiring teachers' skills through mentorship programs, residencies and other professional development opportunities.

Overall, the state Education Department has spent more than $4.8 million to fund the program.