Students in grades 1-3 grow for second consecutive year, kindergarten scores dip
(BATON ROUGE, LA) - The Louisiana Department of Education released its
Fall 2022 Reading Report today that shows how public school students in grades K-3 scored on a literacy screener given during the first 30 days of the current school year. Louisiana’s overall score improved and students in grades 1-3 grew for the second consecutive year, while kindergarten scores saw a decline. This year’s third graders earned their highest score since 2018.
“It’s good to see the continued reading progress for our students,” said Dr. Cade Brumley, Louisiana’s Superintendent of Education. “Ensuring children can read must remain a fundamental priority in every school across our state”
Statewide results can be viewed below for students scoring "On or Above Benchmark"
| Grade Level | 2021 | 2022 | Difference |
| 3 | 53.2% | 54.5% | +1.3% |
| 2 | 52.5% | 54.4% | +1.9% |
| 1 | 49.6% | 50.2% | +0.6% |
| K | 41.5% | 39.2% | -2.3% |
| Overall | 49.2% | 49.6% | +0.4% |
The Fall 2022 Reading Report includes state, school system, and school data for public school students in grades K-3. School systems can choose among four research-based screening assessments to administer. Students who take a screener earn either “On or Above Benchmark” or “Below Benchmark.” In August, Louisiana adopted the state’s first K-2 accountability plan. This plan will include a uniform literacy screener for students in these early grades.
“Louisiana’s comprehensive literacy plan is building momentum across the state, and we are beginning to see the impact of this foundational shift in how we teach children to read,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson. “Our youngest learners were the most impacted by the disruptions of the past few years. We have the support in place to keep our students in grades 1-3 on the right track and to accelerate the progress for our new kindergarten children.”
While scores for students in grades 1-3 increased for the second consecutive year, scores declined for students entering kindergarten. These literacy screeners are given to students during the first 30 days of the school year and capture a snapshot of a child’s reading ability as they enter a new grade.
This is the latest data to show the continued progress of Louisiana students following unprecedented classroom disruptions caused by hurricanes and the pandemic. Earlier this month, Louisiana’s statewide performance score returned to its pre-pandemic level. In October, the Nation’s Report Card showed that Louisiana students avoided some of the most dramatic learning loss seen across the nation. In August, the Department released 2021-22 LEAP scores that showed Mastery rates improved in ELA and math for students in grades 3-8.
About the annual Louisiana Fall Reading Report:Louisiana law and Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) policy require that school systems administer a literacy screener not later than thirty days after the beginning of each school year to all students in kindergarten through grade 3. Annual screening is vital for ensuring that all students are on the right track to become proficient readers by the end of third grade. School systems can choose among four research-based screening assessments. The screening assessments measure a particular skill or skills that are typically predictive of later reading success. The skills build upon each other from one grade level to the next and are appropriately matched to children’s ages and developmental stages.