Five Noteworthy Public Education Achievements in Louisiana Over the Past Five Years  

Louisiana continues to prioritize education as an important part of the state’s growth this decade.  

For five straight years, we’ve seen decisive legislative action aimed at helping students obtain the basic skills students need for future success in the public school system. Step by step, Louisiana has shown a lasting commitment to supporting student achievement that is already netting results. This includes this year’s Nation’s Report Card results, where the Pelican State was one of a few states in the country to see improvements in both fourth grade and eighth grade reading and math scores. 

While there are many policy achievements to highlight, let’s review five that have helped position Louisiana in the driver’s seat of public educational reform.  

1. In 2021, Sen. Sharon Hewitt and other education champions passed SB 222, directing the Louisiana Department of Education to develop a K-3 literacy screener to ensure educators understand where each of their students are on their reading journey and, as a result, personalize the educational experience for each student.  

2. In 2022, HB 911 by Rep. Jason Hughes continued the work of the previous year by adding more screenings throughout the year, increasing the likelihood students in need of additional support are identified and their parents notified of ways to help. The bill also provided legislative reporting and in-class reading coaches to help public school teachers strengthen reading instruction.  

3. In 2023, Rep. Richard Nelson aimed to increase the quality of classroom teachers through the passage of HB 326. This policy directs collegiate classes for aspiring teachers to include skills in foundational mathematics and educate students on intervention skills to use in the classroom. 

4. During the 2024 legislative session, Rep. Kim Carver put an additional focus on building public teachers’ math skills. HB 267 was designed to work in tandem with literacy screeners for K-3 students in. Just like literacy screeners, educators and parents receive information on their students’ progress in acquiring needed math skills and those that are struggling receive supports and interventions.  

5. This year, Louisiana continued to advance student-centered policy solutions. Rep. John Wyble’s HB 321 requires teachers to demonstrate knowledge of foundational numeracy to receive their teacher certification as well as math professional development for all K-8 teachers. This training will ensure Louisiana educators are ready to provide the necessary instruction to middle grade students who need a strong foundation in numerical reasoning and fractions in order to succeed in Algebra—a key indicator of post-secondary success.   

While these five laws represent the strong work at the statehouse to improve the lives of Louisiana’s public school students, education agency officials also are making positive changes. Last year, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education unanimously approved a new A-F school accountability formula known as ‘Grow, Achieve, Thrive’. The new school grading formula is now the gold standard for setting clear and rigorous expectations to encourage students to grow academically and reach proficiency. While some states are lowering expectations and obscuring student performance, Louisiana is forging a different path—one that will result in even stronger rising student achievement when the new formula goes into full effect this coming school year. 

Louisiana’s efforts to strengthen the foundations of reading, math and classroom instruction are already bringing returns, which are underscored by last year’s results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Louisiana’s students advanced a massive 35 places in state rankings for fourth grade reading, jumping from 50^th in the nation in 2019 to 16^th in 2024. Louisiana fourth graders are also now scoring higher in math than their peers before the pandemic, and eighth graders continue to see notable improvements. 

Consistent and courageous leadership, with a focus on evidence-based practices and support for teachers, continues to yield positive student outcomes in Louisiana. The future is bright for the Pelican State, and residents and parents should be proud of the state’s public education trajectory.