La. climbs in Pre-K through 12 education rankings in US News & World Report

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Louisiana has improved for the third year in a row in education rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.

According to the Louisiana State Department of Education, Pre-K through 12th-grade education in the state is now ranked 37th in the country. Officials said the ranking is the highest ever for Louisiana and is a jump from a ranking of 40 the state received last year.

Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley credits multiple factors for the improved ranking.

“Louisiana is the most rapidly improving state in the country when it comes to education,” Dr. Brumley said. “These consistent national gains are the result of intentional strategy, focused instruction, and the hard work of educators, students, and parents across our state.”

Officials said that Louisiana has also taken other steps to improve education for young people. They include implementing the Science of Reading, refreshing foundational math, offering high-dosage tutoring support to students in need, elevating the teaching profession, and expanding educational options for families.

Students in Louisiana also earned their highest ever rankings on the Nation’s Report Card in January, officials said. They added that the report looked at the achievement of students in 4th and 8th grade math and reading. The following details about Louisiana’s rankings on the Nation’s Report Card was released by the Louisiana Department of Education:

• Louisiana’s overall average ranking is now 32nd, up from 49th in 2019.
• In 4th-grade reading, Louisiana improved from 50th in 2019 to 16th in 2024.
• In 4th-grade math, Louisiana improved from 50th to 38th.
• In 8th-grade reading, Louisiana improved from 45th to 29th.
• In 8th-grade math, Louisiana improved from 49th to 43rd.
• Louisiana 4th graders led the nation in reading growth for the second consecutive assessment cycle and ranked in the top five for math growth.
• Eighth-grade math scores also improved, placing Louisiana among just 14 states that posted gains.
• Students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students outperformed the national average in both achievement and growth.

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