Iberia Parish K-3 students did better than the state average in meeting expectations for literacy rates in a new report released by the Louisiana Department of Education.

Louisiana students in grades K-3 improved their reading scores by 10 percentage points on the state’s first universal literary screener, according to the LDOE. The percentage of K-3 students reading on grade level jumped from 44.6% on the beginning of year screener to 54.6% on the end of year screener. This data is from the 2023-2024 school year and sets a new baseline that can be used to measure progress in future years.

The Iberia Parish School District received an even higher grade than the state average, with K-3 students earning 66% on the end of year screener.

The St. Martin Parish School District slightly below the state average with a 52.4% end of year screener score, and the St. Mary Parish School District received a 48.2% end of year screener. The results tracked the Spring 2024 semester.

According to the report, Kindergarten to third grade proficiency rates increased in Louisiana 10 percent from 44.6 percent in Fall 2023 to 54.6 percent in Spring 2024. The most significant gains were in Kindergarten and first grade. These K-1 students experienced fewer COVID-related gaps in learning and have most fully benefited from literacy improvement policies, such as the required Science of Reading training for K-3 teachers and leaders.