Louisiana Students Falling Behind on Reading Tests

Infant School Boy Pointing In A Book Held By The Female Teacher — Getty Images

BATON ROUGE (The Center Square) — Over two years have passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its effects continue to extend far beyond public health. A recent report released by the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals a staggering decline in math and reading skills among the nation’s fourth and eighth grade students.

Specifically, the share of fourth-graders and the share of eighth-graders who are considered proficient in reading each fell by 3 percentage points since 2019, the last time the standardized test was administered. While there is no single explanation for the trend, experts attribute the historic decline primarily to the disruptions stemming from the pandemic.

Based on the latest NAEP test results, also known as the nation’s report card, only 33% of fourth-graders and 31% of eighth-graders are proficient in reading. In some states, reading proficiency rates are even lower.

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In Louisiana, just 28% of fourth-grade students and 27% of eighth-graders are proficient in reading. The average proficiency rate among the two grades of 27.5% is below the national average of 32% and seventh lowest among states.

In 2021, the federal government invested $123 billion in public education to help students catch up in the wake of the pandemic. The latest test results reveal it may take billions more. While the link between per pupil spending and student outcomes is complicated, many states with lower-than-average test scores also spend less on education than most, and Louisiana is no exception. According to the latest data from the Department of Education, Louisiana public schools spend an average of $11,800 per pupil annually, the 25th lowest among states.

State	Avg. reading proficiency rate (%)	4th graders proficient in reading (%)	8th graders proficient in reading (%)	Annual per pupil spending ($)
New Mexico	19.5	21	18	10,167
West Virginia	22	22	22	11,944
Oklahoma	22.5	24	21	9,144
Delaware	24.5	25	24	15,910
Alabama	25	28	22	10,076
Alaska	25	24	26	18,393
Mississippi	26.5	31	22	9,303
Texas	26.5	30	23	9,697
Louisiana	27.5	28	27	11,800
Nevada	28	27	29	9,159
Arkansas	28	30	26	10,084
Michigan	28	28	28	11,211
Oregon	28	28	28	11,778
Kansas	28.5	31	26	11,387
North Carolina	29	32	26	9,747
Tennessee	29	30	28	9,870
Missouri	29	30	28	11,243
North Dakota	29	31	27	13,453
Maine	29	29	29	14,720
Arizona	29.5	31	28	8,648
South Carolina	29.5	32	27	11,359
Kentucky	30	31	29	11,291
California	30.5	31	30	13,679
Iowa	31	33	29	11,271
Minnesota	31	32	30	12,648
New York	31	30	32	23,429
South Dakota	31.5	32	31	10,139
Georgia	31.5	32	31	11,131
Montana	31.5	34	29	11,834
Nebraska	31.5	34	29	12,306
Virginia	31.5	32	31	12,640
Idaho	32	32	32	7,895
Indiana	32	33	31	10,137
Maryland	32	31	33	15,148
Wisconsin	32.5	33	32	12,575
Pennsylvania	32.5	34	31	15,252
Illinois	32.5	33	32	15,835
Rhode Island	32.5	34	31	16,983
Washington	33	34	32	14,031
Hawaii	33	35	31	16,132
Florida	34	39	29	9,645
Ohio	34	35	33	12,372
Wyoming	34	38	30	16,304
Vermont	34	34	34	16,359
New Hampshire	35	37	33	17,452
Connecticut	35	35	35	20,271
Colorado	36	38	34	10,900
Utah	36.5	37	36	7,888
New Jersey	40	38	42	19,852
Massachusetts	41.5	43	40	17,787

By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via the Center Square