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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 05/27/14
Contact: LDOE Public Affairs, (225) 342-3600, Fax: (225) 342-0193
RESULTS STEADY ON TRANSITIONAL LEAP AND iLEAP TESTS
Percentage of Students Meeting 2025 Target Increases
BATON ROUGE, La. - The Department of Education today announced that on LEAP and
iLEAP tests aligned to more challenging learning standards, the percentage of students
performing at the state's 2025 expectation of "mastery" (level 4 out of 5) increased in both
English Language Arts and math, while the percentage of students performing at the state's
expectation level established in 1999, "basic" (level 3 out of 5), remained steady.
In English Language Arts, 27 percent of students performed at the mastery level or higher,
compared to 26 percent in 2013. For math, 25 percent of students scored at mastery or
higher on this year's assessments fully aligned to new academic expectations, a 2 point
increase from 23 percent in 2013. Overall, 69 percent of students achieved "basic" results
or better, the same percentage as in 2013.
The one-time, transitional 2014 LEAP and iLEAP tests were aligned with new academic
expectations that demand higher levels of critical thinking and writing. The writing
assessment, for example, required students to read one or two passages and use evidence
in the texts to support responses. In math, students learned critical skills in grades earlier
than in past years.
The 2014 tests are part of a transition process to higher expectations in Louisiana, which
commenced in 2010. In 2013, students took modified LEAP and iLEAP tests that were
partially aligned to the new standards. In 2015, Louisiana students will take the same
English Language Arts and math assessments administered in more than a dozen other
states, providing the first comprehensive assessment of the state's educational
competitiveness.
After the initial completion of the 2015 test, the state will have a "baseline" and will plan a
schedule of annually increasing expectations for schools, such that by 2025, a school rated
"A" will have an average performance of "mastery" rather than today's norm of "basic,"
established as the target level for students in 1999.
"Teachers, students, and families performed this year on these one-time tests as we
expected when the tests were created," said State Superintendent John White. "Over the
next decade, however, we will gradually raise our expectations, and it will be more
challenging to compete. We owe our kids that change, but we will do it in a way that does
not denigrate schools or humiliate educators."
In 1999, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) established
"basic" as the state's standard for proficiency. However, basic achievement does not
correspond with community college or university success. While 69 percent of students hit
this mark, for example, only 28 percent complete a university or community college degree.
Some school districts made particularly significant gains this year.
District/LEA
2014
2014
2013
2013
2013 to
Mastery
Mastery &
Mastery &
Mastery &
2014
& Above
Above
Above
Above
Difference
(Percent
(Percentile
(Percent of
(Percentile
in
of
Rank)
Students)
Rank)
Percentile
Students)
Rank for
Mastery &
Above
Catahoula
20
49th
17
27th
+22
19
39th
17
27th
+12
19
39th
17
27th
+12
27
80th
23
68th
+12
19
39th
17
27th
+12
15
21st
12
12th
+9
22
57th
20
49th
+8
23
61st
21
53rd
+8
23
61st
21
53rd
+8
35
91st
31
86th
+5
Parish
Assumption
Parish
Caldwell
Parish
DeSoto
Parish
Natchitoches
Parish
East Carroll
Parish
Acadia
Parish
Cameron
Parish
Jefferson
Parish
St. Charles
Parish
As the state establishes a new baseline and gradually raises expectations, transition
policies will ensure the state does not denigrate schools or humiliate educators. The
transition policies below will persist through two years of additional time to learn the new
expectations.
Test scheduling. For the past four years, Louisiana has planned to take
the PARCC test in grades 3 to 8 (online in grades 5-8; paper in grades 3 and 4).
Louisiana and PARCC have released a number of resources
includingpractice tests, assessment guides for educators, and a report
onLouisiana's Spring 2014 PARCC Field Test.
School accountability. Letter grade distributions will remain the same
from 2013 to 2014 and 2015. During the two year transition, any school or district
that maintained or improved its annual performance score will not experience a
decrease in its current letter grade.
Teacher accountability. For 2014 and 2015, the state will not produce
"value-added data" because there will be no baseline from which to calculate.
Compass policies will remain in effect, but student learning scores will not need to
be based on value-added data.
Student accountability. In 2014 and 2015, the state will maintain
current 4th grade policy but allow districts to issue waivers for students
demonstrating readiness to progress. The state will shift the 8th grade retention
standard to be a remedial standard and require that remediation take place on the
high school campus in a "transitional 9th grade" year.
To support Louisiana's transition to higher expectations and better assessments, Louisiana
educators created the 2015 assessment, working alongside educators from other states,
including writing and scoring test questions and determining all major assessment policies
(e.g., accommodations, test security). Additionally, the Department of Education is
providing numerous in-state supports for educators, including:
Curriculum Resources: Teacher leaders and expert content staff
createdcurriculum guidebooks for English and math in grades Kindergarten to 12,
as well as assessments guides and sample tests.
Teacher Leaders and Training: For the 2014-15 school year, the
Department will train more than 6,000 educators from across the state on the new
standards and the resources, including the June Teacher
Leader Summit, SummerContent Training, and Fall Webinars and Collaboration.
District Planning Teams: The Department supports districts with
strategic decision making through the planning guide and direct work
with designated teamsof district staff - technology, assessment, and financial - to
prepare for the more rigorous standards and better assessments.
Technology Footprint: To help districts prepare for the technology
demands of the 21st century, including online assessments, the Department
continues to publish its semi-annual technology footprint which assesses district
readiness and provides guidance on next steps.
Textbook reviews: Louisiana educators reviewed textbooks to advise
districts on the alignment with the standards.
State/District Reports
Spring 2014 Testing Results: PowerPoint Presentation
District Report: State and District Comparison Spring 2013 to 2014 (Percentile Ranks)
District Report: State and District Comparison Spring 2013 to 2014 (Basic & Above)
District Report: State and District Comparison Spring 2010 to 2014 (Basic & Above)
District-Level Results
Spring 2014 iLEAP: State/District Achievement Level Summary Report
Spring 2014 LEAP: State/District Achievement Level Summary Report
Spring 2014 LEAP Grade 4: State/District Promotional Standard Report
Spring 2014 LEAP Grade 8: State/District Promotional Standard Report
School-Level Results
Spring 2014 iLEAP Grade 3: State/District/School Achievement Level Summary
Report (Percent)
Spring 2014 iLEAP Grade 5: State/District/School Achievement Level Summary
Report(Percent)
Spring 2014 iLEAP Grade 6: State/District/School Achievement Level Summary
Report(Percent)
Spring 2014 iLEAP Grade 7: State/District/School Achievement Level Summary
Report(Percent)
Spring 2014 LEAP Grade 4: State/District/School Achievement Level Summary
Report(Percent)
Spring 2014 LEAP Grade 8: State/District/School Achievement Level Summary
Report(Percent)