State to field‑test K–3 numeracy screener this fall; full use planned for 2026–27

The Louisiana Department of Education presented a plan to introduce a state‑developed K–3 numeracy screener, beginning with a learning (field‑test) year in fall 2025 and shifting to full operational use in the 2026–27 school year. The department said it selected an online delivery platform (KITE, from the University of Kansas) and worked with teaching and assessment teams and Louisiana educators to develop item content and administration procedures. "We felt that we could develop a high quality numeracy screener in the state of Louisiana, and make sure that we're not spending more money on assessment than we need to," a presenter said. Officials said the numeracy screener is designed to mirror the literacy screener’s administration windows and to be shorter than some commercial options; most items at the lower grades are teacher‑administered, one‑on‑one probes with the teacher recording student responses in the platform. BESE President Ronnie Morris asked whether the screener is electronic or paper; staff said it is electronic but that much of the interaction is teacher‑led and that typical administrations will be shorter than 10–15 minutes. LDOE stressed the fall 2025 administration is a learning year: student scores from the field test will not be used in school performance calculations, and the department will share school‑level results when possible while fields are debugged. The department said the platform may provide districts with longer‑term formative assessment options once it is fully implemented.