(BATON ROUGE, LA) - Louisiana is working to make good on its commitment to responsibly reduce the time students spend taking state tests. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) announced changes to grade 3-8 social studies testing that will cut assessment time in half, while more closely aligning with the state’s more rigorous Freedom Framework standards.
“Count me in the number that believe Louisiana students spend too much time testing,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “Assessments are vital to measure academic progress and guide instruction and policy decisions. We will continue to take a strategic approach to reduce testing time while maintaining high-quality assessments.”
Changes to Social Studies Testing in Grades 3-8
Currently, Louisiana is one of only 13 states that require social studies assessments and the only state that mandates annual social studies testing for grades 3-8. Federal regulations do not require states to administer social studies assessments at any grade level.
Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, Louisiana will align social studies testing with the state’s new Freedom Framework standards. Instead of testing every year in grades 3-8, students will take social studies assessments in grades 3, 5, and 8. This change will cut total testing time in half—from 1,100 minutes to 550 minutes.
The Freedom Framework divides social studies instruction into three learning modules across grades K-8. Students in K-3 learn about the American story, grades 4-5 learn world history, and grades 6-8 learn Louisiana and American history. Under the revised testing schedule, assessments will align with the conclusion of each module. High school students will continue to take a civics assessment.
A Long-Term Commitment to Testing Reduction
In October 2024, Dr. Brumley announced a significant reduction in student testing time and committed to further reductions. That action resulted in a 20% reduction in testing time made to the grade 3-8 ELA and math LEAP assessments. This latest round of reductions continues the department’s commitment to responsible testing adjustments.
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