This week students around the state of Louisiana have been returning to class. School is back in session in Lafayette Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Caddo Parish, and East Baton Rouge Parish too. It's normal for a new school year to bring about changes in the classroom but there is no bigger change than what Louisiana 3rd grade students and their parents will have to consider as they progress through the 2024-2025 academic year.

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That change is in the form of a new law that went into effect with the first bells of this new school year. It has to do with literacy. Or perhaps the better way to say that would be the lack of literacy among Louisiana's population. Our state according to the website studyville.com has the fifth lowest literacy rate in the nation. Almost three-fourths of Louisiana's adult population is considered to have only basic or below basic literacy skills.

That's why Department of Education leaders were strong supporters of the recently passed legislation. That legislation stipulates that no child shall advance from third grade into fourth grade in Louisiana without passing a proficiency "exam".  Let me clarify the "exam" part of the legislation for you.

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Don't think of it as a traditional "big test kids lose sleep over". Instead, the literacy proficiency will be tested via a series of "screeners" throughout the school year. These "screeners" will help teachers and parents understand where their third grader's reading ability lies. And, should they need assistance there will be tutoring and special support programs offered.

Last year about 30% of Louisiana third graders scored in the "well below" category for reading proficiency. Education officials estimate that many students will be eligible for the additional reading assistance that is specified by the new law.  Should a child still score "well below" after the three screener tests, tutoring, and special assistance they will not be allowed to advance into the fourth grade.

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We should note that the new law does allocate some $30 million for tutoring and extra assistance programs in Louisiana public schools so that additional classroom time should not be a financial burden for any family with a child in the program.

Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley did say, in an article posted by the Louisiana Radio Network, that parents would have options over the summer to help their student improve their reading skills so they could move on with the rest of their class. However, it was noted that parents will need to stay abreast of their child's progress, especially on the literacy screeners, so they can monitor and assist in their child's literacy growth this year.

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Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells