The Louisiana Department of Education has released statewide 2026 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) scores, and DeSoto Parish Schools students demonstrated significant academic gains, positioning the district among the state’s top-performing systems for both student growth and academic achievement.
DeSoto Among Louisiana's Highest-Performing Districts
Statewide, 36% of Louisiana students scored at the Mastery + on LEAP assessments, the highest statewide performance ever recorded.
DeSoto Parish Schools significantly outpaced the state average, with 45% of students earning Mastery or Advanced, placing the district as one of the Top- 10 school systems in Louisiana for overall Mastery+ performance.
The district also ranked among the state's fastest-improving systems, increasing its overall Mastery+ rate by +3 percentage points from the previous year.
Districtwide Academic Gains
Compared to the 2024-2025 school year, DeSoto Parish Students showed notable improvement in Mastery + performance in all major content areas:
Math increased from 44% to 47% (+3 percentage increase)
English Language Arts Increased from 52% to 54% (+2 percentage increase)
Science Increased from 35% to 39% (+4 percentage increase)
Social Studies Increased from 36% to 40% (+4.0 percentage increase)
Student achievement gains extended across key student groups as well. English Learners demonstrated a +7 percentage increase in proficiency, while Students with Disabilities showed a +3 percentage increase, reflecting the district's continued commitment to ensuring every student has the support and opportunities needed to succeed.
Bridget Flanders, Director of Student Learning, said the results reflect the collective effort of students, educators, school leaders, support staff, and families across DeSoto Parish.
“It is exciting to see the achievement and growth of our students. This is a reflection of the work of teachers, support staff, and leaders who partner with parents to give students every opportunity for success. I look forward to seeing how our current support systems continue to help every student thrive.”
Schools Leading the Way
Logansport High, Mansfield Elementary, Mansfield Middle and Stanley High increased proficiency in all content areas. Schools across the district also saw notable gains in those students achieving mastery or advanced (Mastery +) in core content areas:
English Language Arts Mastery + Achievement
Logansport High School- +8 percentage increase
Mansfield Elementary- +6 percentage increase
Mansfield Middle School- +3 percentage increase
North DeSoto High School- +8 percentage increase
Stanley High School - +1 percentage increase
Math Language Arts Mastery + Achievement
Logansport High School- +6 percentage increase
Mansfield Elementary- +20 percentage increase (largest math gain in students proficiency for mastery or advanced)
Mansfield Middle School- +14 percentage increase
North DeSoto Middle School - +1 percentage increase
North DeSoto Upper - +2 percentage increase
Stanley High School- +8 percentage increase
Science Mastery + Achievement
Logansport High School- +5 percentage increase
Mansfield Elementary- +17 percentage increase (largest math gain in students proficiency for mastery or advanced)
Mansfield Middle School- +7 percentage increase
Mansfield High School - +17 percentage increase
North DeSoto Upper - +5 percentage increase
North DeSoto High School - +1 percentage increase
Stanley High School- +8 percentage increase
Social Studies Mastery + Achievement
Logansport High School- +6 percentage increase
Mansfield Elementary- +16 percentage increase (largest math gain in students proficiency for mastery or advanced)
Mansfield Middle School- +11 percentage increase
Mansfield High School - +2 percentage increase
North DeSoto Upper - +3 percentage increase
Stanley High School- +9 percentage increase
Superintendent Clay Corley said the results are a direct reflection of the people working daily to support student success.
“These results belong to our teachers and school leaders. They show up every single day with high expectations for every child, and they deliver. We’re grateful to be seeing this kind of growth. It tells us the hard work of our people is making a real difference in the lives of our kids.”
Revised Accountability System Coming This Fall
The 2026 LEAP results are the first that will contribute to School Performance Scores under Louisiana’s revised accountability system, Grow. Achieve. Thrive. LEAP data is a measure used to calculate School Performance Scores, which help provide a broader picture of school and system performance.
Building on years of progress, Grow. Achieve. Thrive. sets three clear expectations for every student: grow academically each year, reach proficiency in core subjects, and graduate ready for a career, college, or service.
Because the revised system uses new measures and a higher bar, some school and system ratings may look different when the first official scores are released later this year. The largest changes are at the high school level, with a greater emphasis on academic growth, proficiency, and readiness after graduation.
About LEAP
LEAP measures proficiency in English Language Arts, math, science, and social studies for students in grades 3-12. Student scores are reported on five levels: Unsatisfactory, Approaching Basic, Basic, Mastery, and Advanced. Students scoring Mastery and Advanced are considered proficient, or ready for the next grade level without the need for remediation or additional support. Scores are used to help teachers identify students who need additional support or more challenging work in each subject. The information is also used to measure how well schools and school systems are helping students achieve higher expectations.
View the full press release from Louisiana Department of Education on this year’s 2026 LEAP Assessment results.