Louisiana Believes starts with the premise that all students can achieve high expectations and master rigorous academic standards. Believing that all children can learn, Louisiana developed an accountability system which holds schools, districts, and the state accountable for the performance of students.

Louisiana grades schools and districts on a scale of A through F, using a grading scale similar to the one used for students. Letter grades provide families and the public with a straightforward indicator of school and overall district performance. The grades are calculated based on student achievement, academic indicators, and measures of career and college readiness, such as Carnegie credits earned through 12th grade, graduation rates, and earning Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Dual Enrollment credits.

What gets measured gets mastered.

Louisiana Believes begins with the premise that all students can achieve high expectations and master rigorous academic standards. If we believe that all students can achieve, it is essential to measure progress and ensure that students remain on track for college and careers. Louisiana students are assessed annually in grades 3 through 8 and high school grades. Students in grades 3 through 8 take assessments in English Language Arts/literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies.

In high school, students take standard assessments referred to as the LEAP 2025 assessment in six subjects: Algebra I, Geometry, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History. The assessments measure proficiency in each subject area and assist in determining whether students have mastered the knowledge and skills for college and career readiness. For additional information on each of Louisiana’s annual assessments, select the assessment name from the list on the left.