Tag: Literacy

Universal Literacy Screener Spurs Growth in Louisiana’s Young Readers

Louisiana students in grades K-3 have made remarkable strides in their reading proficiency, with a significant 10 percentage point increase on the state’s inaugural universal literacy screener, as per this new release from the Louisiana Department of Education. The proportion of K-3 students reading at grade level soared from 44.6% at the beginning of the school year to 54.6% by the end of the year. This data, derived from the 2023-2024 academic year, establishes a new baseline for tracking progress in the years to come.

State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley expressed his optimism regarding this achievement. He emphasized that the improvement reflects the dedication of Louisiana’s educators to equipping students with essential educational foundations. Dr. Brumley highlighted the critical nature of early elementary education, stating that these formative years are pivotal for a student’s academic success. He further noted that the new screener serves as a valuable tool for identifying where support is needed, whether at the individual student level, within schools, or across the broader educational system.

The overall 10% increase in students reading at grade level from the beginning to the end of the year is particularly noteworthy. Kindergarten and first-grade students exhibited significant gains, with 27% more kindergarteners and 14% more first graders reaching grade-level reading standards by year’s end. For those interested in a deeper dive into the data, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has made detailed information available in the K-3 Spring Reading Report PDF. Additionally, literacy screener results by school system and individual schools for spring 2024and fall 2023 can be accessed online.

All public school students in Louisiana from kindergarten through third grade are required to complete literacy screeners. These assessments, which increase in difficulty as the year progresses, provide teachers with timely data to support students during these critical formative years. This approach ensures that interventions can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each student, thereby enhancing their chances of academic success.

Since the launch of its comprehensive literacy plan in 2021, Louisiana has made substantial progress in improving reading outcomes. The Education Recovery Scorecard revealed that Louisiana is one of only three states where average reading achievement in 2023 surpassed 2019 levels. Notably, Louisiana’s fourth graders ranked first in the nation for reading growth on The Nation’s Report Card. Furthermore, economically disadvantaged fourth graders showed remarkable improvement, moving from 42nd to 11th place overall in reading proficiency between 2019 and 2022.

Louisiana’s literacy initiatives have garnered national recognition for their bold and effective policies. The non-profit education organization ExcelinEd praised Louisiana as one of only three states to implement all 18 of its early literacy fundamental principles. These principles include a universal screener for K-3 students and comprehensive science of reading training for all K-3 teachers.

Dr. Jenna Chiasson, Deputy Superintendent, remarked on the significance of the first full year of implementing these key literacy policies. She expressed confidence in the potential for continued reading progress and highlighted similar policy shifts in math aimed at accelerating student outcomes.

The 2023-2024 school year marks the first time the LDOE has administered a universal literacy screener to students in grades K-3. These assessments offer educators critical insights into students’ reading levels and their progress in acquiring essential reading skills. The screeners, administered securely, measure skills predictive of future reading success. Student performance is categorized as Well Above Level, On Level, Below Level, or Well Below Level.

In conclusion, the substantial improvement in Louisiana’s K-3 reading scores is a testament to the effectiveness of targeted educational policies and the dedication of teachers. This progress not only sets a new standard for literacy in the state but also serves as a foundation for future educational advancements.

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Louisiana Early Literacy Commission Created

Louisiana Believes recently released an article titled, Louisiana Department of Education to Convene Group to Study Early Literacy in which they announced Monday, September 9 marked the first meeting of the newly developed Louisiana Early Literacy Commission-a section within the Louisiana Department of Education. The Commission is comprised of state leaders, educators, and parents that will research to determine the way Louisiana can create and implement a cohesive system of reading instruction for children starting at birth and ending with the third grade. The Early Literacy Commission was formed by the Louisiana Legislature during the 2019 regular session.

The Commission will come together and meet every month. Their main goal will be to research and analyze information to assess the ways evidence-based reading is being taught in the state’s public schools and early childhood education locations. Secondly, they will assess the amount of educators that have been trained and possess skills in evidence-based reading instruction. The educators being assessed will include teachers and instructors from kindergarten to the third grade, special education teachers, and reading specialists. Lastly, they will evaluate state colleges of education and alternative certification programs to evaluate the ways in which they teach and study evidence-based reading practices. This will include programs for teachers and instructors from kindergarten to the third grade, special education teachers, and education specialists.

When the Early Literacy Commission  convenes in January 2020, it will give a final list of recommendations to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana State Legislature.

The final recommendation list will include:

  • The ways in which the state can guarantee that teacher preparation programs provide their students with the knowledge needed to teach evidence-based instruction from their first days;
  • The ways the state can help the public school systems can adopt reading programs that maximize the usage of evidence-based reading instruction; and
  • The ways in which the state can make sure it provides its educators with the evidence-based skills needed to ensure the reading proficiency its third graders.

In addition to its research and recommendations, the Commission will create a tentative timeline for increasing the third grade reading proficiency while establishing benchmarks for the near future.

The creation of the Early Literacy Commission was done at the insistence of the Louisiana State Legislature. They urged the Department of Education to create the group for the following reasons:

  1. Students that are not proficient readers by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
  2. Those who do not possess a basic level of reading proficiency are six times as likely to drop out of high school
  3. Students without a proficient third grade reading level are almost two-thirds of those that do not graduate from high school on time.
  4. Early reading in childhood has a positive impact on collegiate attendance.
  5. Ninth graders that read on level as third graders are three times more likely to attend college.
  6. 85 percent of all youth that have interactions with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate, along with 60 percent of prison inmates.
  7. The state of Louisiana spends over $270,000 a year to remediate students that read below their grade level.

These programs are the way in which the state can take action in making sure its students are literate and upstanding citizens. They are aiming to begin the foundation early in ways that have proven to be effective in other communities.

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