Louisiana PreK-12 education now 41st in nation, according to 'U.S. News & World Report'

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — K-12 education in Louisiana is improving, according to new rankings from "U.S. News & World Report."

According to a news release from the Louisiana Department of Education, the state jumped five spots from 46th to 41st in PreK-12 rankings between 2019 and 2023.

“These positive gains reflect the unwavering commitment educators and policymakers have to improve the quality of education in Louisiana,” State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said in a news release. “In a state long-challenged with educational outcomes, this movement is welcome news; however, we have a long way to go and must keep pushing forward.”

Fourth graders in Louisiana also ranked No. 1 in the nation for reading growth on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. (The test is also called The Nation’s Report Card.)

Additional gains in the rankings, per LDOE, were made in the:

• College readiness: from 42nd to 40th
• High school graduation rates: from 45th to 37th
• Math scores (NAEP): from 50th to 44th
• Reading scores (NAEP): from 48th to 38th
• Preschool enrollment: from 15th to 9th

Louisiana ranks 46th in education including Pre-K through 12th and 49th in higher education.

Overall, the state was ranked last in the nation.