Education Scorecard

Orleans Parish schools have increased LEAP scores for three consecutive years, with 31% of students scoring at grade level in 2026, closing the gap with Louisiana's 43% state average. While excelling in English and social studies, challenges remain in math and science. School closures and consolidations are being considered due to financial pressures.

The latest NAEP results show gains in reading and math for 9-year-olds, particularly among the lowest-performing students, with math scores for the 10th percentile rising 7.5 points and reading scores increasing 9.3 points. These improvements contrast with continued declines for 13-year-olds and may reflect a rebound from pandemic-related disruptions and federal funding.

A new report finds that slightly more than half of teacher preparation programs now align with the science of reading, doubling from a quarter three years ago. However, hundreds of programs remain unaligned, and many teach outdated methods, despite states adopting science of reading policies. States like Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Indiana saw reading score improvements with these policies, but progress remains uneven.

Tennessee students have nearly returned to pre-pandemic math achievement levels and improved in reading, driven by state initiatives like the Tennessee Literacy Success Act and new math curricula. The state invested over $130 million in reforms, including tutoring and professional development, though disparities persist for historically underserved student groups.

Newark Public Schools students are improving faster than most U.S. districts, gaining 1.23 grade levels annually in reading and math post-pandemic, but remain 2.36 grade levels below the 2019 national average. The district ranks in the 93rd percentile nationally, outpacing similar districts, though performance lags with 34% of students passing English Language Arts and 21.1% passing math tests in 2024.