NOLA-PS Achieves Top National Growth Rankings in Reading & Math on Latest Education Scorecard

Orleans Parish Ranks 99th Percentile Nationally in Reading Growth and 98th Percentile in Math Growth (2022–2025)

(New Orleans – May 13, 2026) —Today, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) celebrates outstanding academic progress highlighted in the latest Education Scorecard released by researchers from Harvard University, Stanford University, and Dartmouth College. The 2026 report shows that Orleans Parish, served by NOLA Public Schools, delivered exceptional student growth, ranking in the 99th percentile nationally for reading growth and the 98th percentile nationally for math growth from 2022 to 2025.

These results place NOLA Public Schools among the fastest-improving large urban districts in the country and directly contribute to Louisiana's statewide leadership: the state now ranks first in the nation in reading growth and second in math growth and is the only state to have surpassed pre-pandemic (2019) performance levels in both subjects.

"Students in NOLA Public Schools are learning at an accelerated pace, an average of 1.35 grade levels per year, which ranks in the 98th percentile nationally," said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Fateama Fulmore. "These gains reflect the dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students and families, and our school leaders' relentless focus on providing a high-quality education. While we still have work to do to close longstanding achievement gaps, the trajectory is clear: NOLA Public Schools is moving in the right direction and our students are growing, achieving, and thriving at higher levels than ever before."

Key highlights for Orleans Parish from the 2022–2025 period include:

• Reading growth: 99th percentile nationally
• Math growth: 98th percentile nationally
• Overall learning rate: 1.35 grade levels per year (98th percentile nationally, well above the national average of 1.0)
• Combined average test-score trend: +0.28 grade levels per year — more than four times the statewide average

Our schools have driven this momentum through targeted reforms including high-quality instructional materials, expanded tutoring programs, school improvement supports, and strong partnerships with families and educators. These efforts align with statewide priorities and are helping more students make meaningful annual progress.

NOLA Public Schools is proud to be part of Louisiana's national leadership in academic recovery. The district will continue pushing forward with the same urgency and focus on fundamentals that are delivering these results for our students.

The full Orleans Parish report is available at edopportunity.org. For more information on the statewide Education Scorecard results, visit educationscorecard.org.

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About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 66 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Fateama S. Fulmore.

For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.