DeSoto Parish Schools has earned the top spot in Louisiana for K-3 literacy achievement, with 80.4% of students scoring on or above level on the 2025-2026 K-3 Literacy Screener.

The Louisiana Department of Education recently announced the state’s top 10 achieving school systems, recognizing districts with the highest percentage of kindergarten through third-grade students meeting or exceeding expected literacy levels.

DeSoto Parish Schools ranked No. 1 statewide, narrowly ahead of West Feliciana Parish Schools at 80.2%. Ascension Public Schools ranked third with 78.7%.

The top 10 school systems and proficiency rates were:

DeSoto Parish Schools — 80.4%

West Feliciana Parish Schools — 80.2%

Ascension Public Schools — 78.7%

St. Charles Parish Public Schools — 77.5%

Plaquemines Parish Schools — 75.7%

Vermilion Parish Schools — 74.5%

St. Bernard Parish Public Schools — 74.1%

LaSalle Parish Schools — 74%

Rapides Parish School Board — 73.6%

Central Community Schools — 72.5%

The Louisiana Department of Education said the achievement comes as Louisiana ranks No. 1 among states in reading growth, crediting work taking place in school systems across the state as an important part of that progress.

Each of the top-performing school systems was recognized during the August meeting of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).

For DeSoto Parish Schools, the statewide No. 1 ranking highlights the district’s continued focus on building strong reading skills during the earliest years of a child’s education, when literacy development can play a critical role in future academic success.

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