Board hears overview of Louisiana’s new ‘Grow, Achieve, Thrive’ accountability system

Chief Okonsky and Superintendent Cole briefed the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board Committee of the Whole on Sept. 4 about Louisiana’s new accountability system, Grow, Achieve, Thrive, including how statewide LEAP assessments and growth measures will be combined into a 100-point scorecard. The presentation explained that the state adopted the new policy after meetings in spring and summer 2024 and that the most recent LEAP scores will be released in two files: one using the old formula (the one that still “counts” for last year) and one showing results under the new system. Officials said assessments administered during the current school year will be scored under the new system. Chief Okonsky said the state simplified many prior indices into three columns: Grow, Achieve and (for high schools) Thrive. She said the scorecard will use a 100-point scale and include a temporary curve for the first two years. “The top 10% of schools will earn an A,” she said, describing the initial distribution: top 10% A, next 20% B, next 40% C, next 20% D and bottom 10% F. Under the new design, Grow measures whether individual students increased their LEAP scale scores from one year to the next; only movements into or within mastery/advanced earn points, and the state uses finer subdivisions of lower achievement bands so some students below proficiency can register measurable growth. Okonsky said Grow will count for about 54% of a K–8 school’s score and about 42% for a high school. Achieve will reflect the percentage of students scoring mastery or above in tested content areas (ELA, math, science and social studies); district staff said those percentages can already be plugged into the new scorecard. For high schools, the Thrive column (about 25% of a high-school score) includes a graduation-rate component (roughly 8.3% of the school score), the percentage of students meeting qualifying scores on nationally recognized exams (SAT, ACT, WorkKeys Gold, ASVAB and others) and a college/career acceleration metric composed of three “tracks,” such as AP/IB/dual-enrollment benchmarks, career accelerators (industry credentials, apprenticeships, internships) and signed military/service-academy acceptance letters. Board members asked clarifying questions. Board member Martin asked whether the state has created a separate formula for alternative schools; Okonsky replied, “Not yet. Policy hasn't rolled out a new formula for alternative schools; for the time being, they will remain under the umbrella that they currently are.” Another board member asked whether the curve is calculated by school or by LEA; Okonsky said district performance scores are calculated at the LEA level while schools with K–8 configurations and schools with grade-12 cohorts are tallied in separate groupings. District staff said they will return with more detail at a future meeting and that the state will publish two public files for the most recent assessments — one showing scores under the old formula and one showing the new formula for comparison. Board members did not take action on the presentation; the item was information only.