The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as “the nation’s report card,” revealed that an overwhelming amount of American students have not recovered from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. For years, it appears most states have only seen a continual decline in scores. “National scores are below pre-pandemic levels (2019) in ALL tested grades and subjects,” the report noted. However, at least for Louisiana, there’s been a significant upward shift. While most states are still falling behind, Louisiana is slowly rising to the top.

During the 2025 State of the State Address, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R) highlighted several areas of improvement seen within the state over the years. One specific area he celebrated and brought attention to was this shift concerning the NAEP. For a state long accustomed to ranking near the bottom of national education metrics, Louisiana’s ascent is nothing short of historic. In 2019, the state languished at 49th in the nation. But by 2024, it had gone up to 32nd, marking its highest-ever ranking. More impressively, Louisiana led the country in literacy growth over the past four years and cracked the top five for math growth.

“[W]e are writing a new story for the state,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Cade Brumley, on a recent edition of “Washington Watch.” “This is great news for Louisiana,” added Tony Perkins, a native Louisianan and president of Family Research Council. “Louisiana doesn’t have a history of climbing up the good list.” In a laugh of acknowledgement, Brumley agreed, stating that “we’re usually on the top of the bad list and the bottom of the good list.”

At the center of this academic success, Brumley explained, is a “brave agenda” to “go back to the basics, redesign broken systems, accelerate parental rights, value teachers, and expand educational freedom.” By rejecting “radical ideologies,” he added, the state has sharpened its focus on core academics: reading, math, and an appreciation for American history. “For too long,” Brumley stated, “schools have tried to do things that were not in their wheelhouse. We’re not ordained to be a restaurant, a hospital, certainly not the family. … Let’s teach kids to read, do math, understand and appreciate their country.”

These priorities have yielded tangible results, and “we’re proud,” Brumley noted, while recognizing the effort was not free from struggle. According to Brumley, they faced resistance from what he referred to as the “education establishment,” as well as federal policies, including Biden administration efforts to limit school choice and rewrite Title IX. “We’ve had to fight over the last four years specifically,” Brumley noted, “but I believe Louisiana will show that we’ve been on the right side of history.”

Another aspect of Louisiana’s education reform, Brumley explained, is the “Let Teachers Teach” initiative, which is “about reducing bureaucracy, removing excessive training, making sure that teachers can teach free from student behavioral distractions … so other students can learn.” This program has resulted in a 50% drop of teaching vacancies, he added, as well as a boost in morale. “Teachers want to teach,” Perkins emphasized. “They don’t want to be social workers or teach for a test. They want to teach children to learn.”

And in addition to the many ways this initiative has improved academia in the state, its strategy also places a weighty emphasis on parental empowerment. “Parents are really the driver,” Perkins noted. “They have the most at stake.” Brumley echoed this sentiment, advocating for expanded school choice — whether through public, charter, private, or homeschool options. “Sometimes bureaucrats think that the kids belong to the government,” he said, “and they don’t. They belong to their parents.”

Ultimately, Brumley believes Louisiana’s positive “results will continue to grow because we are focused on that pursuit of academic excellence.” Looking ahead, Louisiana plans to double down on civics education by introducing a mandatory civics test for high school graduation. Students who excel will earn a “Freedom Seal” on their diplomas and a red, white, and blue honor cord. “Students not understanding our country’s history and civics is a national security risk,” Brumley warned.

“Look,” he emphasized, “we are trying to pursue academic excellence. … That’s what we’re going to pursue every day. I’m so proud to tell the story of our progress,” especially because “we have too many kids that still can’t read at grade level; too many kids that can’t do basic math. And we have too many kids stuck in schools that are failing them.” However, with a supportive governor and legislature, Louisiana seems poised to defend its reforms against any opposition. “We have fought the establishment,” Brumley remarked, “and we have good support here in the state of Louisiana and across the country to return to just common sense.”