Providing All Louisiana Students with Opportunities to Learn

K–3 students post 3-point gain on beginning-of-year literacy screener

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) today released results from the beginning-of-year literacy screener for students in kindergarten through third grade. The 2025 data show continued statewide progress, with 50 percent of K–3 students now reading on or above grade level. This marks the second consecutive year of growth on the beginning-of-year screener and the highest overall proficiency level since Louisiana began these reading assessments in the 2023-2024 school year.

“These gains are a result of Louisiana’s dedicated teachers,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “We must stay the course and continue building strong foundations for all students.”

Fall 2025 Results

• Fifty percent of K–3 students achieved reading proficiency, a 3-point increase over fall 2024
• Third grade showed the most growth, improving by 5 points
• Second grade increased by 4 points, first grade by 2, and kindergarten by 1
• Fifty-six percent of students in grades 1–3 met the proficiency benchmark

These results come from the beginning-of-year administration of Louisiana’s universal literacy screener, now in its third year. The assessments are aligned to the science of reading and help educators identify students in need of support early in the school year.

“Our goal is to help every student become a proficient reader,“ said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson. “This data serves as a roadmap to tailor support such as high-dosage tutoring to ensure students receive the instruction they need.”

Louisiana’s Reading Revival

Louisiana has improved to 16th in the country for 4th grade reading on The Nation’s Report Card since being ranked 50th in 2019. The state’s comprehensive literacy strategy is grounded in policy, training, and student support. Key elements include:

• Science of reading-aligned instruction: Louisiana adopted a phonics-based approach that transformed how reading is taught and gave educators tools to help students thrive.
• High-dosage tutoring: Louisiana has been a national leader in expanding this research-based practice, which provides intensive support to students who need it most.
• Parent engagement: Louisiana continues to equip parents with tools and resources to support reading at home and monitor their child’s progress.
• Strong policy foundation: Acts 520 and 517 (2022) established a universal K–3 literacy screener and required high-quality, research-based instructional materials. Bulletin 741 ensures all students are screened three times a year to identify and address reading gaps early.

Louisiana’s National Momentum

Louisiana has made considerable progress since launching its comprehensive literacy plan.

• Led the nation in fourth grade reading growth for two consecutive cycles of The Nation’s Report Card and now rank No. 16 overall
• Ranked No. 1 in the nation for reading on the Education Recovery Scorecard, a joint study by Harvard and Stanford
• Topped a national list recognizing states with comprehensive early literacy policies, including universal K–3 screening, third-grade promotion policies, and targeted student support

About Louisiana’s K-3 Literacy Screener

All Louisiana public school students in grades K–3 are required to complete literacy screeners three times per year. These assessments increase in difficulty across the school year and provide teachers with real-time, actionable data during students’ foundational learning years.

Now in its third school year of statewide implementation, the screener is administered securely and measures skills predictive of future reading success. Student performance is reported as well above level, on level, below level, or well below level.

###