Louisiana administers several large-scale testing programs. The Iowa Tests (ITBS) are used for the statewide norm-referenced testing program at grades 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Louisiana’s new criterion-referenced testing program for grades 4 and 8 is known as LEAP for the 21st Century, or LEAP 21. The new Graduation Exit Examination for the 21st Century (GEE 21) is administered at grades 10 and 11. The "old" GEE is administered to students who previously failed at least one part of that exam. The LEAP 21 and GEE 21 tests are directly aligned with the state’s content standards. The LEAP Alternate Assessment (LAA) has been developed for students with disabilities who cannot participate in the regular state assessments. In addition, Louisiana participates in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) at each administration.

Louisiana’s high stakes testing policy is an important part of Reaching for Results, an educational reform system designed to improve student achievement.

Merit’s language arts and math software programs correlate to the Louisiana’s Content Standards and can help students prepare for the LEAP 21 and GEE 21 tests. The content and format of Merit’s programs can help students develop and strengthen their test-taking skills as well as their reading, writing and math skills.

Merit reading software has been proven -- through rigorous, scientifically based research -- to increase both student reading comprehension and standardized test scores. Merit research study findings reveal that education software is an effective tool to improve test scores and academic performance.

Published: March 2005