Louisiana Parish Earns B Rating, Tops State in Growth

Allen Parish schools are celebrating real academic wins after the latest state test results showed students making measurable progress across nearly every subject.

The rural Louisiana district maintained its B performance rating on the 2025-26 LEAP assessments while watching math scores climb 3.6 percent and reading scores rise 2.9 percent districtwide. Kinder High School earned Top Growth Recognition from the Louisiana Department of Education after students achieved Mastery+ levels across all high school content areas.

The growth didn't stop there. Allen Parish ranked third in Louisiana for early childhood education, showing that efforts to prepare the youngest learners are working. Students at Oakdale Elementary, Oakdale Middle, and Fairview High also earned recognition for reaching Mastery+ performance levels.

Superintendent Brad Soileau credited the gains to students, teachers, and community support as schools adapt to Louisiana's updated accountability system. The new model includes stricter testing expectations and measures whether individual students meet annual growth goals, not just overall achievement.

The district's strongest performance came from students who needed help most. Among Louisiana's lowest-performing 25 percent of students, Allen Parish posted a 10.2 percent increase in reading growth, though math scores in this group dipped slightly by 1.9 percent.

Science and social studies scores also moved in the right direction, improving by 1.5 percent and 1.1 percent respectively. Under the state's Achieve component, which measures how many students reach Mastery level or higher, Allen Parish finished one percentage point above the state average.

Several individual schools showed impressive literacy gains based on early reading assessments for kindergarten through third grade. Reeves High School jumped five percentage points to reach 70.8 percent of students reading on grade level. Elizabeth High and Fairview High also posted gains, reaching 82.1 percent and 74.6 percent respectively.

The Ripple Effect

When rural school districts succeed, entire communities benefit. Allen Parish's focus on early childhood education means more kids arrive at kindergarten ready to learn, setting them up for years of academic success. The recognition of Kinder High School as a Top Growth School shows what dedicated teachers and motivated students can accomplish together, even as state standards get tougher.

These gains matter beyond test scores. Strong schools attract families and businesses to rural areas, helping small communities thrive. District leaders plan to release complete School Performance Scores this fall as they continue building on this momentum.