Johnathan Walker:Mixed results in 2024 standardized tests for Louisiana students

BATON ROUGE,Johnathan Walker La. (AP) — Newly released standardized test results for Louisiana students show small gains in some areas, but overall scores moved little in the past year and, despite gains in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, remain below 2019 levels.

Results for the LEAP test released Wednesday show put overall mastery of subject matter, including English, math and science for students in grades 3-8, at 34%, the same as last year and still below a point below the 2019 level.

A summary of the scores in a release from the state Department of Education showed mixed results. For instance, the English Language Arts mastery rate for grades 3, 5, 6 and 7 improved but rates were down for grades 4 and 8.

“In math, students in grades 3-8 maintained their previous overall mastery rate,” the department wrote. “Math mastery rates improved in grades 4 and 7, remained the same in grades 5 and 6, and declined in grades 3 and 8.”

An analysis of Wednesday’s statistics by The Advocate showed eighth graders slipped in every subject on this year’s tests, losing two percentage points in math and English and three in science, reflecting a nationwide study showing middle schoolers were hit especially hard by pandemic learning loss.

“Following consecutive years of improvement, these latest scores show students holding steady,” Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley said. “With a need to see increased outcomes, however, these numbers substantiate our recent aggressive efforts to simply let teachers teach, provide students with high-dosage tutoring, refresh our school accountability model, and expand options for students to access high-quality schools.”