LOUISIANA STUDENTS ACHIEVE RECORD-HIGH PERFORMANCE ON LEAP

Latest assessment results reflect years of sustained academic progress as Louisiana raises student expectations

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana students achieved the highest overall Mastery+ rate in state history, according to new assessment data released today by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE). Results from the 2026 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) show a two-percentage-point increase in students scoring Mastery or Advanced (Mastery+) in grades 3-12. The increase to 36% marks the highest overall statewide performance on record for grades 3-12.

“I’m proud of the progress Louisiana students continue to make, and grateful to the educators making it possible,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “At the same time, we cannot be satisfied and must build on this success as we raise expectations.”

2026 LEAP Results

The LEAP results released today are from the 2025-2026 school year. Students improved or maintained Mastery+ in 28 of the 31 grades and courses assessed by LEAP (90%). Detailed school and school system results are now available on the LDOE website. Highlights include:

Academic progress extends across grades, subjects, and school systems

• Grades 3-8: Mastery+ increased one point in math, two in social studies and science, and held steady in English language arts (ELA).
• High School: Mastery+ increased five points in civics, three in English II and U.S. history, two in Algebra I, and held steady in biology and geometry. English I declined by two.
• School Systems: Almost nine out of 10 Louisiana school systems improved or maintained their 3-12 Mastery+ rate, with 75% improving from 2025 to 2026, 10% maintaining, and 15% declining.

Math continues to improve as Louisiana expands its comprehensive numeracy strategy

• Grades 3-8: Math Mastery+ increased one percentage point overall, with every grade level increasing or holding steady. 
• High School: Mastery+ increased two points in Algebra I and remained the same in geometry.

Students making strong gains under the new Freedom Framework social studies standards

• Grades 3-8: Social studies Mastery+ increased two points overall, with every grade level increasing or holding steady. Since 2023, Mastery+ is up seven percentage points overall.
• High School: Mastery+ increased five points in civics and three in U.S. history.

“Sustained improvement comes from intentionally doing the right work in classrooms every day,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson. “These encouraging results provide educators with a roadmap to strengthen instruction, model successful practices, and help more students reach Mastery.”

Years of Sustained Academic Growth

Louisiana's highest-ever statewide Mastery+ rate reflects years of sustained investment in teachers, strong classroom instruction, and a back-to-basics focus on foundational academic priorities. Since 2021, statewide Mastery+ has improved or held steady every year in grades 3-8 and four of the past five years in grades 3-12.

In May, a national report from researchers at Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth ranked Louisiana first among states in reading growth, second in math growth, and the only state to surpass pre-pandemic achievement levels in both subjects.

First LEAP Results Under Grow. Achieve. Thrive.

The 2026 LEAP results are the first that will contribute to School Performance Scores under Louisiana’s revised accountability system, Grow. Achieve. Thrive. LEAP data is a measure used to calculate School Performance Scores, which help provide a broader picture of school and system performance. 

Building on years of progress, Grow. Achieve. Thrive. sets three clear expectations for every student: grow academically each year, reach proficiency in core subjects, and graduate ready for a career, college, or service.

Because the revised system uses new measures and a higher bar, some school and system ratings may look different when the first official scores are released later this year. The largest changes are at the high school level, with a greater emphasis on academic growth, proficiency, and readiness after graduation.

About LEAP

The Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) measures student knowledge and skills in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Student performance is reported across five achievement levels: Unsatisfactory, Approaching Basic, Basic, Mastery, and Advanced.

Assessment results help teachers identify student strengths and learning needs, guide classroom instruction, and measure how well schools and school systems are preparing students for future success