The Jackson Parish School District was the only one in the state to improve LEAP test scores according to Louisiana Department of Education officials. The exams, called LEAP 2025, measure what students know in math, English, science and social studies.
Overall, Louisiana test scores plunged five percentage points in the first glance at how public school students fared on major exams during the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Wednesday. Scores have risen by a percentage point or two in recent years, which means the latest results represent a significant step backwards amid unprecedented turmoil in classrooms.
“I think it goes to show what kind of kids and staff we have in our schools,” said Quitman High School Principal Billy Carter. “They all deserve recognition and should be commended.”
Students in grades 3-12 took the tests in the spring after back-to-back years of interruptions caused by the pandemic. The exams were cancelled last year. Sandy Holloway, president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, said the results show the impact of school closures in 2020 and other disruptions.
“I am proud of our state’s commitment to in-person instruction this past school year but it in no way was it enough to ensure that critical learning gaps were closed and the data proves that to be the case,” Holloway said in a text message.
In a break with tradition, state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said he will discuss the results on Aug. 11 rather than the day the scores were released.
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