The numbers are in and the results were worth the wait. Bossier Schools set a personal record and continues to be a state leader in the number of students scoring mastery and above on the 2018-19 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) exam, according to data released by the Louisiana Department of Education.
The district hit an all-time high of 51-percent of students in grades 3-12 scoring mastery and advanced on the English Language Arts (ELA) portion of the assessment. The percentage of students in grades 3-8 and high school students earning mastery and advanced in math also increased by three-percent, propelling Bossier to lead the northern region in district math scores. When all subjects — ELA, math and social studies — are combined, 43-percent of students scored mastery and above, ranking Bossier the 14th highest performing district in Louisiana. That exceeds the state average by seven points.
Gains were made by subgroups tracked by the state as well, which include the number of African American students scoring mastery+, economically disadvantaged and children with disabilities. Those making the most notable gains were military affiliated students, who showed a three-percent increase in mastery+ across all subjects, and children in foster care, who marked an eight-percent rise in ELA, math and social studies.
These successes come on the heels of data released just two months ago by the LDOE, showing the Bossier Parish Senior Class of 2017-18 reached an all-time high graduation rate.
“While the big picture shows our district making academic gains, what matters most to us is what it means for our students,” said Bossier Schools Superintendent Mitch Downey. “We are not an island. It takes every educator and administrator working in partnership with parents and the community to prepare our young people for success. It reflects our vision at Bossier Schools to win the day, every child, every way.”
