The culmination of new curriculum, stepped-up tutoring initiatives and heaps of support and hard work on behalf of Bossier Parish educators and students is paying off according to spring assessment results released today by the Louisiana Department of Education, the brightest highlight being in English language arts (ELA).
The 2023-24 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) is an annual measure of student proficiency in ELA, math, science and social studies for grades 3-12. Social studies results were not available this year because the LDOE is developing new standards.
Students in grades 3, 5, 6 and 7 all increased percent proficiency in ELA and there were gains as well in average scale scores for those same grades and English II in high school. Additionally, 16 Bossier Parish schools showed growth in the percentage of students earning Mastery or Advanced on the LEAP.
The largest gains in ELA proficiency, which is the percentage of students earning Mastery or Advanced from the previous year, were Haughton Middle with a 10-percent gain and Stockwell Place Elementary with an eight-percent gain. Platt Elementary and Benton Middle posted a six-percent increase; and Greenacres, Sun City and Elm Grove Elementary each experienced a five-percent growth in proficiency. Other schools showing ELA increases include Apollo Elementary, Benton High, Benton Intermediate, Bossier High, Elm Grove Middle, Haughton Elementary, R.V. Kerr Elementary, Plantation Park Elementary and Rusheon Middle.
Additional highlights across the district show:
10 schools demonstrated an increase in students earning Mastery or Advanced in mathematics;
11 schools made combined subject gains in proficiency (Mastery or Advanced);
Science scale scores increased in grades 3, 6 and 7;
The Black or African American subgroup increased in average scale scores in all content areas in grades 6 and 7 and in English II at the high school level;
Grades 6 and 7 in the military-affiliated subgroup showed increases in all content areas;
Economically Disadvantaged students in high school maintained average scale scores in Algebra and English I, while showing increases in English II and U.S. History;
Students with Disabilities made increases in the average scale scores in all content areas in grades 3, 5 and 7 with grade 6 making gains in math and science;
Students with Disabilities also posted proficiency gains in English II and U.S. History at the high school level;
The Homeless subgroup increased five-percent in Mastery or above in subjects combined from the previous year.
“We want to commend our teachers and students for putting in the hard work and celebrate their success,” said Bossier Schools Superintendent Jason Rowland. “Success is not easy, but it is worth the effort that goes into it. On that note, while we are thrilled with the growth seen, we are not fully satisfied with our outcomes. Bossier Schools will be introducing additional new curriculum in 2024-25 to include ELA and math at the middle school level, as well as Algebra I and social studies, that will enable our district to build on its successes and continue to accelerate learning.”
Detailed LEAP student reports are being emailed Friday, July 26 to the primary parent/guardian listed in OnCourse, the district’s secure student portal. The individualized reports are password protected and the annual registration process must be completed before scores can be viewed. School Performance Scores (SPS) will not be released by the LDOE until later this fall.