Louisiana Partners Earn Top Rankings, Grow Performance in State Scores

NIET partner schools in Louisiana continue to shine in the recently released 2024 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) assessment results. Ascension Public Schools celebrated first place in the “Top Systems for Achievement” category, with 53% of students in grades 3-12 reaching mastery and advanced levels during the 2023-24 school year. 

 Ascension Parish outperformed prior years and earned top rankings in several key areas:

• #2 for students with disabilities (increased two percentage points)
• #2 for Black students (increased three percentage points)
• #3 for economically disadvantaged students (increased two percentage points)

"We are ecstatic about these achievements and incredibly proud of our students, teachers, staff, leaders, and parents for their relentless hard work and dedication. These rankings highlight the exceptional effort and commitment of our entire educational community," said Ascension Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Edith M. Walker.

Walker reiterated that while the district celebrates its results, there is always more work to do. "We will not be satisfied until all 24,000 students achieve at these high levels,” Dr. Walker said. “Our goal is to ensure every student in Ascension Parish receives the support and opportunities they need to succeed."

The results in Ascension illustrate the power of investing in great classroom teaching and building the capacity of teachers and leaders. NIET has partnered with Ascension for more than a decade, putting in place systems for high-impact professional learning and classroom coaching to make great classroom teaching accessible for every student. Teacher leaders are a core part of Ascension’s success, with many teacher leaders moving into school and district leadership.

This success builds upon previous years of academic excellence in Ascension, which topped the state score in each tested subject by 16 to 19 points in 2022-23.

Caddo and Calcasieu Show Growth in Student Achievement

Other partner schools showed growth over the year, as well. Caddo Parish Public Schools’ LEAP results showed the district sustained 5% growth across all subjects and grade levels between 2021 and 2024, which represents a period of emphasis on supporting foundational literacy and numeracy. 

"The 5 percent increase in student proficiency across all subjects and grade levels between 2021 and 2024 is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students, teachers, and staff,” said Interim Superintendent Leisa G. Woolfolk. “Our focus on foundational literacy and numeracy is clearly paying off, especially for our youngest learners, with an impressive 8 percent increase in K-3 students reading on grade level this past year.”

In addition, 20 Caddo schools increased the percentage of students scoring mastery and above across all tested subjects since last year.

As for Calcasieu Parish, T.S. Cooley Elementary School was named a top ten school in the state for overall achievement, with a 91% achievement rate, and Pearl Watson Elementary earned a top ten spot in the state in school growth, outperforming last year’s mark by 13 points.

“It’s incredible to see Cooley and Pearl Watson amongst the top in the state for overall performance and overall growth,” said Superintendent Dr. Jason VanMetre. “However, this does not come as a surprise, as we know the level of work being put in on these campuses, and others, daily. We look forward to seeing even more progress this next year as we continue to focus our efforts on both student growth and teacher growth.” 

Along with two schools making top-ten lists this year, Calcasieu saw growth across its district, including its third through eighth grades, which continue to outscore the state in the number of students performing at or above grade level.

“We are incredibly proud of the work being done in our classrooms by our students and our teachers,” said VanMetre. “Today’s results are a testament of what we already know is happening in our schools, and that’s simply dedication and commitment to student learning.”

LEAP assessments include scores for ELA, math, science, and social studies for grades 3-12 based on state content standards for each grade. The scores fall into five categories: Unsatisfactory, Approaching Basic, Basic, Mastery, or Advanced.