St. John, St. James, St. Charles test results positive

By LEONARD GRAY

Managing Editor

LAPLACE — Across Louisiana, including in the River Parishes, fourth and eighth grade students who took summer school course and retaking at least a portion of the spring test, succeeded in passing LEAP in increasing numbers.

&#8220That’s super!” said St. John Parish Superintendent of Schools Michael Coburn. &#8220That is great news.”

Normally, LEAP scores are used to determine whether fourth and eighth grade students will be allowed to advance to the next grade. However, due to the hurricane situation, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education suspended its high-stakes policy for this year alone.

In St. John the Baptist Parish, after the spring testing of 454 fourth grade students, 298 of them passed LEAP, or 66 percent.

After the summer courses and retaking, the passing total is now 337, or 71 percent.

Of the 488 St. John eighth grade students tested in the spring, 294 students, or 60 percent, had passed.

After the summer course, 362 students, or 74 percent had passed.

Coburn said Monday afternoon that he hadn’t expected the report until Tuesday but was delighted at the results of the summer retesting.

&#8220I’m going to call my people back right now and tell them. I have a talk to give tomorrow, and I’ll use it in my talk,” Coburn said.

In St. Charles Parish, the spring testing of 721 fourth grade students produced 593 passing in the spring, or 82 percent.

After the summer course and retaking of tests, 630 had passed, or 87 percent.

Of the 707 eighth grade students tested in the spring, 541 passed, or 77 percent. After the summer LEAP course and retesting, 592, or 84 percent, had passed.

Rachel Allemand, in charge of standardized testing in St. Charles, commented, &#8220Not bad at all! We’re very proud and pleased.”

In St. James Parish, of the 263 fourth grade students tested in the spring, 183 students, or 70 percent, had passed.

After the summer LEAP course, 212 students, or 81 percent, had passed.

Of the 276 eighth grade students tested in the spring, 193 students passed, or 70 percent. After the summer LEAP course, 221 passed, or 80 percent.