The Louisiana Department of Education has released assessment and accountability performance data along with "letter grades" assigned to each school district and individual schools within the district. The "letter grade" is the result of a formulaic compilation of factors and represented the 2023-2024 school year. This information was provided to school board members at the December 2024 committee meeting of the Washington Parish School Board.
A School Performance Score (SPS) is assigned to every eligible Louisiana K-12 school based on a scale from zero to 150 that measures how well schools perform on particular indices. Elementary schools are measured on an assessment index which includes LEAP test scores, and LEAP Connect scores. This accounts for 70 percent of the score. Growth index, which includes LEAP Progress and ELPT (English Language Proficiency) Progress and Interest and Opportunities account for the remaining 30 percent.
High schools are rated on indices that include an ACT/Workkeys Assessment roster (25 percent), a Graduation Cohort roster (25 percent), and a Cohort Graduation rate (20 percent) that is one year behind the testing year. High schools are also scored based on LEAP Progress and Scores, and ELPT Progress and LEAP Connect scores (12.5 percent each) and 5 percent for Interests and Opportunities. Points assigned for LEAP testing data are calculated using a formula that awards Advanced scores 150 points, Mastery 100 points, and Basic receiving 50 points. Scores of Approaching Basic and Unsatisfactory receive zero points.
The formula then assigns a letter grade with 90-150 an A, 75-89.9 a B, 60-74.9 a C, 50-59.9 a D, and 0-49.9 an F. Louisiana assesses all students which include all ethnicities, economically disadvantaged, and students with disabilities.
Locally, there are quite a few positive outcomes in the 2024 data. Compared to 2023, the percentage of students in Washington Parish Schools scoring Mastery increased in 3rd grade Math, 5th grade English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, 8th grade ELA, Geometry, US History, and Biology. The District Performance Score in 2023 was a 77 B and grew in 2024 to a 78.6 B. This is only slightly behind the Louisiana state score of 80.2 B.
Since 2019, the Washington Parish school district has continued a steady growth trend despite the "Covid year" (2020) when no test data was obtained because the year ended abruptly before testing. There was also a healthy growth from 2023 to 2024 of 7.1 points for ACT/Workkeys Index, a 6.3-point growth in Strength of Diploma, and a 5.2-point growth for the High School Assessment Index.
All schools' overall performance scores grew except for Enon Elementary, Franklinton Primary, Mt. Hermon School, Thomas Elementary, and Wesley Ray Elementary.
With a score of 90.2, increasing 4 points from 2023, Pine School is the first A school in the parish since letter grades have been assigned by the state. Pine demonstrated growth in all indices except K8 Progress index and had a strong 12.7-point increase in Algebra I LEAP scores.
Franklinton High School has remained a steady B school with a 4.30-point growth and noteworthy progress in US History, Geometry, and Biology LEAP scores as well as ACT/Workkeys and Strength of Diploma. Pine and FHS were named Top Gains Honorees along with Franklinton Primary and Franklinton Elementary Schools. Franklinton Elementary had a 3 percent growth helped by students scoring Mastery and Above on the Math LEAP test and a 3.6-point growth in K8 Progress Index.
Washington Parish as a district had overall increases in K-HS Progress Index, Interests and Opportunities, High School Assessment Index, Strength of Diploma, Cohort Graduation Rate Index and Graduation Rate percentages. Of the 11 district schools, five had an increase in overall School Performance Score. Four schools were recognized as Top Gains Honorees. Six schools in the district received an A in Progress Index and three of the four high schools had an A in Strength of Diploma and Graduation Rate.
Also significant, Franklinton Junior High School's performance score grew from a C in 2023 to a B in 2024 with substantial gains in LEAP testing scores and the K8 Progress Index. Varnado Junior and High School scored a 74.8 which is a C; however, a score of 75 is a B --- Varnado was .2 away from a B. This is VHS's highest school performance score in a decade with growth of 6.1 points supported by gains in English II, Biology and US History LEAP scores, ACT/Workkeys and Strength of Diploma indexes.
When questioned about Franklinton Primary's school performance score in particular, Superintendent Jennifer Thomas explained that only 3rd graders are LEAP assessed at FPS, and this is the only school in the parish in this unique situation. As first-time testers, in a school where no other students are formally assessed, it is challenging for teachers and administrators to create a climate of enthusiasm for LEAP results with students. Also, unlike the other ten parish schools, FPS has no other sub-group of testers to potentially offset a drop in scores. Mrs. Thomas did point out, however, that FPS was a Top Gains Honoree on the strength of its K8 Progress Index. It is interesting that 2024's 3rd graders in all schools assessed were in Pre-K and Kindergarten during the Covid pandemic which may or may not be a factor in educational advancement.
Cynical educators might be quick to point out that in the 2025-26 school year, the measurements for school performance scores will be revised to Louisiana's Grow, Achieve, Thrive plan. This will assign elementary and middle schools' 54 percent of the total score to measuring students growing in math and English, with special attention paid to the lowest achieving students and 46 percent of the score to students who are proficient in math, English, science, and social studies. These percentages will be slightly different for high schools with an additional 25 percent factored in for measuring students graduating on time, showing readiness on a nationally recognized exam such as ACT, and being prepared to accelerate.
After studying the information available through the school performance instrument, the Washington Parish School District can be looked upon as a healthy educational system despite its existence in a rural school setting with a high number of economically disadvantaged students. It is a testament to the district's employees who work to instill in students the desire to achieve as well as the continued support of parents and guardians. Through these valuable relationships, students and schools will continue to see improvement and ultimately higher levels of achievement.
