Boley Elementary School 2022 LEAP scores are up by 19%

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - The 2022 LEAP scores are out, and they’re up 19% at Boley Elementary in West Monroe.

Last year Boley Elementary school’s leap scores fell 14%, but they had one of the highest increases in the state this year.

“So one thing we did this year is hired some tutors through our Title 1 money,” said Sandy Bates, Boley Elementary principal. “Those tutors have taken the data from that and from test scores, and they find the student’s weaknesses. Then they call in those students a few at a time and worked with them really hard.”

Bates said that the I-Ready computer assessment test helped teachers find the student’s weaknesses. Plus, having a smaller setting could also be the key to their success.

“I think by individualizing the instruction a lot, that has helped us. Another thing that my teachers did is, once they mastered that, they build them up. They give them a lot of confidence and let them know you’re doing great,” Bates said.

Bates said boosting the children’s confidence also helped them trust their ability to succeed, and the high scores come despite the students being moved into a makeshift school at the time after their school was destroyed by lightning. The makeshift school was a former nursing home.

Kim Wassan a fourth-grade teacher at Boley said their scores were shocking and she’s happy their hard work paid off.

“I am very proud of our students last year,” Wassan said. “They did amazingly better than I expected. I even had some of them that finish quickly and that was just a reflection of the fact that they were well prepared.”

Wassan said she has her students take practice time assessments in groups and the winners get prizes, which helps boost their confidence before the LEAP test.

Boley Elementary began school today, Aug. 15, and is striving to continue improvement on their test scores the best they can.

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