In addition, the state continued to move forward on raising academic standards for students and holding schools more accountable for meeting those benchmarks. Under the new legislation, schools are to write plans for improvement. The state school board has told districts to start identifying the lowest-performing schools next month. Troubled schools will be targeted for assistance, and sanctions will be imposed if schools don't improve. The state has approved new curriculum standards in English, math, science, social studies, foreign languages, and the arts.
Work continues on revamping the state's assessments for measuring student achievement.
The first new, mandatory tests would be given next school year to 4th and 8th graders in English language arts and math. Exams for students in science and social studies would be introduced the following year. From 1990 to 1996, the percentage of the state's 8th graders scoring at the basic level or higher increased 6 points, to 38 percent. But even with such increases, Louisiana 4th and 8th graders still ranked next to last among their peers in the 50 states, besting only Mississippi students. The state is continuing its efforts to improve the quality of its teaching force.