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LaPolitics: What are the most important factors that drove Louisiana’s improved National Assessment of Educational Progress scores, while most other states posted disappointing results?
State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley: The most important factor is our teachers, who have risen to the occasion with their commitment to best practices. Our advancement isn’t simply because other states fell, it’s because Louisiana students demonstrated stronger results in the two fundamental areas: reading and math. Education has been overcomplicated for too long. We’ve tried to narrow the scope and focus on basic, foundational tenets of a quality education. The building, the programs and the teachers don’t have to be fancy, but they have to teach kids to read, do math, understand and appreciate their country.
What are the next steps for improvement?
Across the nation, students tend to do worse in math as they move into the later grades. Louisiana wants to be the state to change that trajectory. We are mirroring much of our math strategy around what we’ve seen work with literacy. Just like we went back to the basics with literacy to focus on phonics and the science of reading, we are prioritizing foundational math instruction—making sure students have the time and support they need to master basic math skills in the early grades before moving on to more advanced skills in the later grades. Similar to what we did with literacy, we’re implementing statewide teacher training and a K-3 math screener so we can understand how students are progressing in their early elementary years.
What do you anticipate asking the Legislature for this year, in terms of policy changes or funding enhancements for particular areas?
We are still working with the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Legislature on considerations for the upcoming session. Obviously, we support a continuation of funds for school systems, including dollars for high-dosage tutoring, differentiated compensation for teachers, and apprenticeship programs to support the Louisiana workforce. We commend the Legislature on sweeping reforms that have enabled us to make historic academic progress.
Do you see any daylight between Louisiana’s current approach to education and what the Trump administration is asking for, and if so, do department leaders plan to make any changes to follow the administration’s lead?
I commend President Trump for acting quickly and decisively on his campaign promises. Our agency has been reviewing his recent actions and will work with other agencies or school systems as needed on implementation. We especially appreciate actions that support the expansion of educational freedom, fundamental academic skills, and state sovereignty.
You said in an interview with Fox News that students should be taught that “we live in the greatest country on the face of the Earth.” That’s obviously an opinion, not a fact. Why not just teach students the facts, and let them come to their own conclusions?
America is the greatest country on the face of the Earth. Louisiana adopted its Freedom Framework social studies standards in 2022. They are unapologetically American while also acknowledging our ongoing quest for a more perfect union. The standards place an emphasis on primary documents and resources such as the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Bill of Rights, Emancipation Proclamation, and the Constitution of the United States. They create a more coherent sequence of content that strengthens knowledge and skills at the elementary level to ensure students are prepared for secondary and postsecondary work. Not only have we seen a successful implementation of these standards in our state, but we’ve worked with other states to develop similar standards.
