Bossier Parish Schools ranked among Louisiana’s top-performing school districts on the 2025-26 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program, with students posting some of the state’s largest gains in academic proficiency, according to preliminary results released Monday.
The district reported a four-percentage-point increase in the share of students in grades 3-8 scoring at the Mastery or Advanced levels, placing Bossier among the state’s fastest-improving school systems. More than 60% of the district’s schools, or 21 campuses, increased their overall proficiency rates from the previous year.
The local gains came as Louisiana recorded its highest statewide LEAP performance on record. According to the Louisiana Department of Education, 36% of students in grades 3-12 achieved Mastery or Advanced in 2026, up from 34% last year and continuing an increase from 30% in 2021. Despite the improvement, 64% of students statewide still scored below the state’s Mastery benchmark.
English language arts remained one of Bossier Parish’s strongest subjects. More than half of students in grades 3 through high school scored at the Mastery or Advanced level after the district posted a three-point increase, placing Bossier among Louisiana’s top-performing districts in ELA.
The district also reported strong gains in science and social studies. Students improved three percentage points in science and four percentage points in social studies across grades 3 through high school.
“These results represent far more than test scores. They reflect years of intentional work, innovative efforts in teaching and learning this past year, and unwavering commitment by our teachers, school leaders, curriculum and accountability teams and support staff,” Superintendent Jason Rowland said in a statement.
“While we celebrate these accomplishments, our work will not stop until every student achieves at the highest levels. Why? Because at Bossier Schools, everything and everyone matters.”
Among individual campuses, Stockwell Place Elementary School posted the district’s highest overall proficiency rate at 72% across the four tested subjects, tying for the top overall performance and ranking first among Louisiana’s traditional public elementary schools serving all students through open enrollment. Legacy Elementary School exceeded 70% overall proficiency, while Kingston Elementary School and Benton Intermediate School each surpassed 60%.
Legacy Elementary also led the district in English language arts, with 74% of students earning Mastery or Advanced, followed by Stockwell Place Elementary at 71%. Benton Intermediate School and Benton High School each reached 70% proficiency in ELA.
Several schools posted notable year-over-year improvements. Stockwell Place Elementary and Central Park Elementary each increased overall proficiency by eight percentage points. W.T. Lewis Elementary, Bossier Elementary, Meadowview Elementary and Princeton Elementary each improved by seven points, while R.V. Kerr Elementary gained six points. Apollo Elementary, Haughton Middle School, Legacy Elementary and Parkway High School each improved by five points.
Statewide, the Department of Education reported that 52 school systems improved their overall Mastery rate, seven held steady and 10 declined. Mastery or Advanced rates improved or remained unchanged in 28 of the 31 LEAP-tested courses.
The preliminary LEAP results are one component of Louisiana’s revised accountability system and will be used in calculating School Performance Scores scheduled for release later this fall.
The Center Square contributed to this report.