Interpreting Test Scores

All state assessments are based on grade-level expectations, which are the knowledge and skills students are supposed to have learned at the time of testing. Students do not receive a pass or fail grade, but receive an achievement level score. The five achievement levels a student can score on LEAP, iLEAP and GEE assessments are: Advanced, Mastery, Basic, Approaching Basic and Unsatisfactory.

Students in 4th and 8th grade must score Basic or higher in either English or math and Approaching Basic or higher in the other subject on the LEAP (Louisiana Educational Assessment Program) to advance to the next grade. Fourth-graders have had to meet this requirement since 2004, while eighth-graders have to meet this requirement since 2006. Students in grades 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 participate in the state’s iLEAP, which is not a high-stakes assessment.

Louisiana’s 10th and 11th grade students participate in the state’s Graduation Exit Examination (GEE). High school students must score Approaching Basic or above on the English and math portions of the exam, and Approaching Basic or above on either the Science or the Social Studies components of the test in order to graduate. Students begin taking the GEE in the 10th grade. During the tenth grade, students take the English and math portions of the assessment and in eleventh grade students take the science and social studies portions of the exam. Students must pass the state test to earn a standard Louisiana diploma.

However, freshmen entering high school in the 2010-11 school year and thereafter, will not have to take the GEE. These students must pass three End-of-Course (EOC) tests in the following categories: English II or English III, Algebra I or Geometry, and Biology or American History. Thus, the EOC tests will replace the Graduation Exit Examination (GEE) for graduation purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do students need to score to pass the LEAP?

For students to be promoted from the fourth or eighth grades, students must score Basic or higher in either English or math and Approaching Basic or higher in the other subject.

What happens if students do not pass the LEAP?

If a student does not pass LEAP, he or she may participate in summer remediation and a summer retest in the subject in which the student scored at the Unsatisfactory and/or Approaching Basic level.

Fourth Grade:
Fourth grade students who do not meet the standard must be provided the opportunity to participate in a Fourth Grade Transitional Program, which is an opportunity for those students who may benefit from some remedial fourth-grade class work and regular fifth grade course work. If students in transitional programs meet certain criteria they may be able to advance to the sixth grade.

Students who want to participate in the fourth grade transitional program must score at the Approaching Basic level or above on both the English and math components of the LEAP; meet all other district requirements for promotion, such as attendance guidelines; and participate in the summer remediation program and summer LEAP retest. Upon completion of the fourth grade transitional program, these students may be promoted to the sixth grade if they score a minimum of Basic in either English or math and Approaching Basic in the other subject AND at least Approaching Basic in both science and social studies on the fourth grade LEAP, in addition to meeting all other district promotion requirements.

Eighth Grade:
Eighth grade students who do not meet the Basic/Approaching Basic promotional standard to be promoted to the ninth grade, but score at least Approaching Basic in either English or math may enter high school to pursue a career diploma if they meet the following requirements:

Attend summer school and take the 8th grade LEAP retest
Achieve a GPA of 1.5 or higher
Meet the minimum attendance requirement for 8th grade
Meet the behavior requirements determined by the district
Be at least 15 years old or turn 15 during the next school year

Students entering the career diploma pathway without passing LEAP must participate in dropout prevention and monitoring programs, such as JAG or a Graduation Coach Program. All students who pursue a career diploma have to get written permission from their parent or guardian to participate.

Additionally, students who have not met the Basic/Approaching Basic promotional standard or the criteria to pursue a career diploma must repeat the eighth grade. However, students are only required to repeat the 8th grade once and may advance to high school and enter a program that best suits their academic needs.

Are there any exceptions for students who don’t pass the LEAP?

Mastery/Advanced Waiver:
Local school districts may waive the high-stakes testing policy for a student who scores at the Unsatisfactory level in English or math, if the student scores at the Mastery or Advanced level in the other subject.

This waiver can be granted under the following conditions: the waiver is permitted in accordance with the local school district’s Pupil Progression Plan; the student participates in both the spring and summer LEAP tests and attends the summer remediation for the subject (English or math) in which he or she scored at the Unsatisfactory level; and parental consent is given.

If a student meets these criteria for this waiver and is promoted to high school, the student must also enroll in and pass a high school remedial course in the Unsatisfactory subject (English or math) before enrolling in or earning high school credit for that subject.

Unsatisfactory/Basic Waiver (Eighth Grade Students Only):
Local school districts may waive the high-stakes testing policy for an eighth grade student who scores at the Unsatisfactory level in English or math, if the student scores at the Basic level in the other subject.

This waiver can be granted under the following conditions:

the student scored Approaching Basic or above on the science and social studies components of the LEAP exam;
the student has an overall 2.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale;
the student had a minimum of 92 percent attendance during the school year;
the decision is made in accordance with the local school district’s pupil progression plan;
the student participates in both the spring and summer LEAP tests and attends the summer remediation for the subject (English or math) in which he or she scored at the Unsatisfactory level; and
parental consent is given.

If a student meets these criteria for this waiver and is promoted to high school, the student must also enroll in and pass a high school remedial course in the Unsatisfactory subject (English or math) before enrolling in or earning high school credit for that subject.

Approaching Basic/Approaching Basic Waiver (Eighth Grade Students Only):
Local school districts may grant a waiver for a student who, after participating in spring and summer retests, scored at the Approaching Basic level on both the English and math portions of the LEAP.

School districts may grant this waiver if it is in accordance with the local district’s pupil progression plan and the student has attended the LEAP summer remediation programs offered by the school districts and taken the retest of the portion(s) (English or math) on which the student scored Approaching Basic or below on the spring test.

Twenty Point Appeal Waiver (Fourth Grade Students Only):
Local school districts may grant a waiver to a student whose highest score, after summer remediation and the retest, is within 20 scaled-score points of the cutoff score for the Basic level.

This waiver can be granted if the student has a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the subject(s) for which the waiver is being considered; meets state-mandated attendance requirements and any locally mandated attendance requirements during the summer remediation program; and the student’s principal and school review the student’s work samples that demonstrate the student can perform at or above the Basic level in the subject(s) for which the waiver is being considered.

Limited English Proficient (LEP) Waiver:
Schools may grant a waiver to a student who demonstrates limited English proficiency so that he or she may be promoted to the next grade. All Limited English Proficient (LEP) students are required to participate in statewide assessments. However, a LEP student who is granted a waiver in the fourth grade may not be granted a waiver in the eighth grade.

Extenuating Circumstances Waiver:
Local school districts may grant a waiver to students who are unable to participate in LEAP testing or LEAP summer remediation because of one or more of the following extenuating circumstances, as verified through appropriate documentation: a physical illness or injury that is acute or catastrophic in nature; a chronic physical condition that is in an acute phase; or court-ordered custody issues.

State-Granted Waiver:
A local school superintendent, parent or guardian, or the Louisiana Department of Education may request a state-granted waiver from the State Superintendent of Education for a student who is not eligible for promotion because of an error on the part of the student’s local school district or other unique situations not covered under extenuating circumstances.

The Louisiana Department of Education will communicate to local school districts how to establish promotion decisions for a student who has received a state-granted waiver.

Students with Disabilities Waiver:
A student who has a disability covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and who participates in the LEAP Alternate Assessment, Level 1 (LAA1) or LEAP Alternate Assessment, Level 2 (LAA2), will be promoted based on guidelines set by the student’s school.

What do students need to score to pass the GEE?

High school students must score Approaching Basic or above on the English and math portions of the exam, and Approaching Basic or above on either the Science or the Social Studies components of the test in order to graduate.

Students begin taking the GEE in the 10th grade. During the tenth grade, students take the English and math portions of the assessment and in eleventh grade students take the science and social studies portions of the exam.

What happens if students don’t pass the GEE?

A student who does not pass the GEE may participate in summer remediation and a summer retest in the subject in which the student scored at the Unsatisfactory level. High schools may also offer additional remediation courses for the GEE during the school year in order to give students multiple opportunities to pass the exam.

What are the iLEAP tests?

Since 2006, public school students in grades 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 have been tested by using the Integrated Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (iLEAP).

The iLEAP English and math tests are given to students in grades 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9. And the iLEAP science and social studies tests are only given to students in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7.

Do students have to pass the iLEAP?

No. The iLEAP is not a high-stakes assessment, meaning that students do not have to earn a certain achievement level on the assessment in order to be promoted to the next grade.