Gov. Landry celebrated Louisiana's surge up the state rankings in the Nation's Report Card for 2024 at Magnolia Woods Elementary School in Baton Rouge.
: Andrew Greenstein
The Nation’s Report Card for 2024 shows that Louisiana students are improving tremendously.
In the overall ranking, which considers reading and math scores in 4th and 8th grades, Louisiana has moved from 43rd in the nation to 32nd in just two years.
In making the announcement at Magnolia Woods Elementary School in Baton Rouge, flanked by kids in the student council, Gov. Landry said struggling students made strides that no others anywhere else in the country did.
“Reading and math scores for struggling students in the country have decreased except for one place — Louisiana,” Gov. Landry said to applause.
States are ranked in four areas: 4th grade reading, 4th grade math, 8th grade reading and 8th grade math.
Louisiana moved up in the national rankings in all four metrics.
4th grade reading is where Louisiana made the biggest leap — moving from 42nd in the nation in 2022 all the way up to 16th in 2024. That’s the highest leap in the country.
Louisiana went from 44th to 38th in 4th grade math, 39th to 29th in 8th grade reading, and 45th to 43rd in 8th grade math.
“Never has our state ranked higher in fourth grade reading,” said Cade Brumley, state superintendent of education. “But also, never has our state ranked higher in fourth grade math, or eighth grade reading or eighth grade math.”
Landry said it’s a testament to the leaders who aren’t afraid to try new things to turn Louisiana’s academic achievement around.
“As long as you’re moving towards success, any amount of setbacks or any amount of failure is a step to success,” said Landry.
Brumley said while the improvement is very impressive, the job is not done yet.
“We have to accelerate parental rights, we have to value our educators, and we have to expand educational freedom across the entire State of Louisiana,” said Brumley.
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