The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress results had a lot of bad news, but there were some scattered bright spots. Louisiana was one of them. In fact, the Pelican State was the only state in the nation that outperformed its pre-pandemic 4th grade reading scores on the 2024 NAEP. Over the past two testing cycles, Louisiana led the nation in reading growth and is in the top five for gains in math. I was curious to hear more about what might be going on, so I reached out to Cade Brumley, Louisiana’s state superintendent of education since 2020. Here’s what he had to say:
— Rick

Rick: Cade, while the nation’s NAEP results were lousy, Louisiana came out looking pretty good. Can you talk a bit about the results?

Cade: This year’s NAEP results continued a pattern of improvement for Louisiana. Louisiana’s composite ranking on 4th and 8th grade reading and math has improved from 49th in the nation in 2019 all the way to 32nd in this year’s rankings. Our 4th grade scores have led the country in reading growth for the past two NAEP cycles and ranked in the top five for math growth. Over the past five years, our efforts have focused on supporting teachers and ensuring access to high-quality resources and tutoring. The improvement we have seen is a testament to the hardworking teachers of Louisiana.

Rick: It’s got to be nice to be celebrated as one of the states getting it right. But is it ever tricky to acknowledge the praise without losing focus?

Cade: The results validate our work. Yet, we know that too many students still can’t read on grade level, too many perform poorly in math, and too many are in schools that are failing them. After the results were released, there was a moment to celebrate. Then, my team was immediately back at the whiteboard to discuss strategies that could propel us to the next level. It is what kids deserve and what the state needs. While this is steady progress, we can’t be arrogant when there is still too much work to do.

Rick: Yours was the only state where 4th grade reading was higher in 2024 than in 2019. What’s going on?

Cade: Our reading strategy is the right strategy. We have a commitment to the science of reading. Beyond sound policy decisions, we pride ourselves on execution and implementation. All kindergarten through 3rd grade teachers and school leaders were required to be trained in the science of reading. This ensured that they would have the knowledge and skills necessary to teach students to read. We banned three-cueing systems, which is a reading approach that prompts students to draw on context instead of sounding words out. We implemented screening assessments and interventions. All of this has led to an increase in our scores.

Rick: As you look across your NAEP results, what sticks out to you?

Cade: These results show that our comprehensive reforms are working, but there are areas that still need improvement. One trend we see across the country is that math proficiency declines as kids advance through school. This cannot continue to be the case. We must go back to teaching foundational skills in math and place a greater emphasis on mathematical fluency. Society talks about fluent readers but not fluent mathematicians—that needs to change.

Rick: You’ve mentioned the comprehensive reforms that Louisiana’s pursued. What did they involve, exactly?

Cade: The reforms we have implemented aim to elevate the teaching profession and allow teachers to focus on teaching students. We are implementing a set of policies based on the science of reading and starting to apply similar approaches to math. We have been reimagining high schools in Louisiana by increasing the quality of career and technical education programs and implementing work-based learning opportunities, such as internships and apprenticeships, for students to prepare them for careers. Furthermore, we are moving students to high-performing schools and closing low-performing schools, which is sensitive and politically difficult but important.

Rick: You’ve lauded the importance of going “back to basics.” What do you mean by that?

Cade: Schools have been asked to do too much that is outside of their wheelhouse. We have worked to narrow the scope of education and do a few things exceptionally well. We are focused on pursuing excellence in academic content, such as teaching kids to read and do math, and making sure that graduates are prepared for the next season of their life.

Rick: You’ve received a lot of attention for Louisiana’s embrace of the science of reading and instructional practice. What does that entail?

Cade: Our work in the science of reading has been twofold. We’ve set expectations for educators to learn and use the science of reading through shifts in policy and practice, but these expectations have come alongside resources and support for educators. High-quality instructional materials are important. We have promoted the idea that those materials should be accessible to every teacher across the state. From core instruction to dedicating time in student schedules for tutoring, we have focused on instructional coherence so students experience explicit and systematic phonics-based instruction that is consistent across different learning environments. We are also developing ways to enhance learning through student engagement with rich text.

Rick: You’ve discussed the need to overhaul teacher education. What kinds of changes have you pursued?

Cade: I am more interested in quality teaching than in certified teaching. We need to remove barriers that prevent creative and energetic individuals of nontraditional backgrounds from entering the teaching profession. We need to do a better job of removing bureaucracy, excessive trainings, and classroom disruptions. Classroom teachers should also be paid like professionals, including merit pay and compensating teachers in those hard-to-staff areas.

Rick: Last question, one initiative of yours that hasn’t garnered as much attention as I might wish is your Let Teachers Teach initiative. Can you talk about that bit?

Cade: In the spring of 2024, I launched the Let Teachers Teach initiative. I gathered a group of over two dozen educators from across Louisiana and tasked them with identifying and formulating practical solutions for common classroom disruptions and unnecessary bureaucracies. I told this group that I wanted real solutions and for this to not just be an exercise. After several months, 18 of the recommendations have become policy and been implemented across the state. As I conducted these meetings, it became clear that the primary concern the work group presented was the use of cellphones during school. They were a major distraction that teachers had to compete against. To address this, our legislature passed a bill prohibiting the use of cellphones throughout the instructional day, a move aimed at minimizing distractions and allowing for a more focused learning environment. We also passed legislation giving teachers more authority to control poor classroom behavior and have reduced the amount of annual nonacademic trainings. I will continue to use my bully pulpit to improve this profession. Teachers need to be able to teach, and students need to be able to learn free from distraction.