Louisiana cuts student test times further with new social studies assessment plan

Louisiana is taking further steps to reduce the time students spend on state tests. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has announced changes to grade 3-8 social studies testing, which will now cut assessment time in half while aligning more closely with the state's Freedom Framework standards.

"Count me in the number that believe Louisiana students spend too much time testing," said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. "Assessments are vital to measure academic progress and guide instruction and policy decisions. We will continue to take a strategic approach to reduce testing time while maintaining high-quality assessments."

Currently, Louisiana is one of only 13 states requiring social studies assessments and the only state mandating annual social studies testing for grades 3-8. Federal regulations do not require states to administer social studies assessments at any grade level.

Starting with the 2027-28 school year, social studies testing will align with the new Freedom Framework standards. Students will take these assessments in grades 3, 5, and 8 instead of annually from grades 3-8. This change reduces total testing time from 1,100 minutes to 550 minutes.

The Freedom Framework divides social studies instruction into three learning modules across grades K-8: American story for K-3, world history for grades 4-5, and Louisiana and American history for grades 6-8. Assessments will be aligned with each module's conclusion. High school students will continue taking a civics assessment.

In October 2024, Dr. Brumley announced a significant reduction in student testing time by cutting grade 3-8 ELA and math LEAP assessments by 20%. This latest round of reductions continues the department’s commitment to responsible adjustments in student testing.