(The Center Square) — Louisiana officials on Wednesday touted the state’s continued rise in national education rankings, after a new scorecard placed Louisiana first in reading growth and second in math growth.
The report, produced by researchers at Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth, found Louisiana was the only state where average student performance has surpassed 2019 pre-pandemic levels in both reading and math.
State officials credited literacy and math reforms, tutoring, school improvement efforts, high-quality instructional materials and a new statewide student attendance strategy. Gov. Jeff Landry also pointed to a return “back to the basics” and removal of “woke, DEI material” from curriculum.
“When you hear about the Mississippi miracle, think about the Louisiana leap,” State Superintendent Cade Brumley said.
Despite the gains, chronic absenteeism remains a problem. The department said the share of students missing more than 10% of the school year rose from 18.8% in 2022 to 22% in 2025.
Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore told The Center Square that the laws related to truancy are rarely prosecuted. Parents or guardians can face fines, community service, and in more serious cases, possible jail time if they fail to ensure their child attends school, but Moore said that these punishments make matters worse.
Brumley said that the state has identified “systemic issues” around definitions and standardization of data collection on truancy. This year, the department is providing regional attendance support throughout the state. The department also has a strong collaboration with the justice system and the faith-based community, Brumley added. He said he remains confident that the state will make progress.
Moore also pointed to lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, saying student attendance has declined since then. Brumley made similar remarks.
Moore added that screen time is another concern, saying it “one hundred percent” affects a child’s educational progress. “It doesn’t get publicized enough,” Moore said.
Along with passing a statewide school cellphone restriction in 2024, the state has emphasized tutoring in recent years, approving $30 million for a program that requires struggling students in early grades to attend high-dosage tutoring sessions in math and reading. Lawmakers are also pondering a bill that would expand the program beyond elementary grades, which is currently “sitting in the stack,” according to the Department of Education’s Ashley Townsend.
Several legislators attended the press conference, including state Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, state Sen. Valerie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, and state Reps. Josh Carlson, R-Lafayette, and Kim Carver, R-Mandeville.
Hodges told The Center Square that she was excited about the progress but agreed there was work to be done. She said she is backing a proposed law to use career coaches or outside career-coaching vendors to help middle and high school students develop graduation plans.
Hodges added that she wanted to make sure that Louisiana kids were prepared to take advantage of the thousands of job opportunities making their way to the state.