BATON ROUGE — Two-thirds of Louisiana students in kindergarten through third grade finished the school year reading on or above grade level, according to literacy screener results released by the Louisiana Department of Education.

The results show a 16.5 percentage-point increase in students reading on or above grade level from the beginning to the end of the school year.

The agency says every grade level improved during the year. Kindergarten students posting the largest gains, climbing nearly 40 points from the start of the year to the end.

"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."

"I'm especially encouraged by the strong growth among kindergarten students and the steady progress we are seeing year to year," said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson. "Teachers are using the screener results to meet students where they are, address reading gaps early and provide support based on each child's needs."

More detailed data, including spring results for schools and systems, is available on the Louisiana Department of Education website.