Children in Louisiana continue to suffer from high rates of poverty, struggling families and poor health outcomes, according to the 2026 edition of the KIDS COUNT Data Book, produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation with its Louisiana partner, Agenda for Children. Louisiana ranked 48th among the 50 states – ahead of only New Mexico and Mississippi. But the data contained some good news: Louisiana was one of only two states (with Mississippi) to make progress in education, and saw notable declines in births to teen parents and overall child well-being.
“Louisiana should celebrate its improvements in child well-being, but we must also redouble our efforts in areas where we are lagging, such as economic well-being and health,” said Jen Roberts, CEO of Agenda for Children, Louisiana’s member of the Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT network. “Successes like Louisiana’s improvements in reading proficiency and low rates of uninsured children prove that when we implement smart policies and make the right investments, we can achieve far better outcomes for kids.”
Another new, national report offered a less rosy assessment: Louisiana ranked 51st – dead last – in overall well-being according to the latest edition of the State of the States report, which is overseen by Tulane University economist Douglas N. Harris. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof tries to draw some lessons from the report, which evaluates states on 31 different metrics:
Domestically, rich states tend to outperform poor states, but the correlation is somewhat weak. What matters even more than economic growth is that benefits are shared, and richer states do not seem to produce more personal satisfaction. Social spending, especially on education, improves citizen outcomes, but what matters in addition to the sums themselves is how the money is spent. Minnesota ranks 13th among states in the share of personal income going to state and local taxes, according to the Tax Policy Center, but it seems to get a high return on its spending.
Clock is ticking on teacher pay
State lawmakers have until June 23 to decide whether to go along with Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to redirect $168 million from public schools’ operating budgets to pay for stipends for teachers and support staff. The governor’s executive order must be approved by two-thirds of the Legislature. The Louisiana Illuminator’s Julie O’Donoghue reports that some education leaders are pushing back on Landry’s executive order:
Jefferson Parish School Superintendent James Gray sent a letter to his legislative delegation Friday warning the reduction in operational funding could impact students directly. “[T]here appears to be an assumption that districts can simply absorb reductions of this size through administrative savings, efficiencies or reserve funds,” wrote Gray, who said Jefferson Parish schools would lose an estimated $12 million to $14 million under the plan. “That may sound reasonable in theory, but it does not reflect the reality that many districts face.”
The executive order does not cover the full cost of replacing the stipends. The funding gap means therapists, nurses, counselors, assistant principals and others would still receive a pay cut, according to the Louisiana Department of Education. And schools would be left with less money for other expenses:
The governor’s executive order also directs the $168 million for the stipends not to come from “non instructional” state funding for schools, or money that supports school transportation, food and security services. Those prohibitions mean school districts have to absorb cost cuts to their superintendents’ offices, business operations, building maintenance and operations, grounds care, equipment upkeep, vehicle operations, childcare as well as their planning and research, according to the education department presentation.
How did the session impact New Orleans?
New Orleans was a focal point of this year’s legislative session, as Gov. Jeff Landry and state lawmakers eliminated judgeships and other offices as part of an effort to curtail the city’s ability to run its own affairs. Katie Jane Fernelius of Verite News explains how New Orleans judges and courts were targeted:
(M)ajor storyline of the session was lawmakers’ zeal to remake and downsize New Orleans’ court system, including a bill that abolished the elected Criminal District Court clerk’s office which voters had just handed to Calvin Duncan. … (L)awmakers also passed and advanced a slate of bills that will shrink the rest of the city’s criminal legal system. Another measure that passed the legislature will reduce the number of locally-elected judges across criminal, municipal and juvenile courts.
New Orleanians with low incomes will also have to navigate the consequences of a deteriorating safety net:
“More than 200,000 Louisianans have lost Medicaid, and 168,000 have lost SNAP,” [CEO of Invest in Louisiana Jan] Moller said. “No single bill, state or federal, is the cause. Rather, it’s the accumulation of indignities — work reporting requirements, wage checks, paperwork barriers, and bills like SB194 and their antecedents — that create a chilling effect for immigrants and people in mixed-status households needing help paying for food and medicine. Louisiana has not reduced hardship, but we’ve reduced the aid available for people facing hard times.”
Louisiana kindergarten reading scores jump
The reading scores of Louisiana kindergarteners increased by nearly 40 points over the course of the school year, according to the Louisiana Department of Education. Overall, two-thirds of Louisiana students in kindergarten through third grade were reading at or above grade level when school let out for summer. WBRZ reports:
“These results reflect the hard work of Louisiana teachers and a back-to-basics approach grounded in the science of reading,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “We’re proud of the progress, but far from satisfied. It’s critical we stay the course and keep moving in the right direction.”
Number of the Day
0.11% – Population growth per year in Louisiana from 2010-2025. The median population growth rate across the 50 states was 0.5% per year. (Source: Pew)