Louisiana at a glance
- Kindergarten: Age 5 on or prior to September 30.
- Compulsory school age: 5 to 18.
- Required instructional time: 177 days; 63,720 minutes hours.
- Statewide grading scale: yes — all LEAs, grades K-12 where letter grades are used; also TOPS GPA.
- Remote learning instead of snow days: no statewide rule identified.
Kindergarten entry age
In Louisiana, a child can typically start kindergarten if they are Age 5 on or prior to September 30. A child born just after the cutoff usually starts a year later — which is why two children born weeks apart can be a full grade apart.
Use the What Grade Am I In? calculator to turn a birthday into a grade level, or compare all states in our kindergarten cutoff table. Source: Education Commission of the States.
School year and attendance
| Rule | Louisiana | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory school age | 5–18 | ECS |
| Minimum instructional days | 177 | ECS (2023) |
| Minimum instructional hours | 63,720 minutes | ECS (2023) |
Instructional-time rules decide how many missed days must be made up — the reason a winter with several snow days can push the last day of school later. Count down to yours with the Days Until Summer tool.
Grading scale
Louisiana sets a statewide scale that applies to all LEAs, grades K-12 where letter grades are used; also TOPS GPA.
| Letter | Percent range |
|---|---|
| A | 90–100 |
| B | 80–89 |
| C | 70–79 |
| D | 60–69 |
| F | 0–59 |
Act 428 of 2024 (HB 424) and BESE rule LAC 28:CXV.2302: 10-point scale from 2024-25, replacing the 93/85/75/67 seven-point scale. Official pages refused or blocked connections; confirmed via search-indexed content (also https://state-rules.com/louisiana/lac/CXV.2302/). Source. See the Louisiana grading scale page for GPA points and a converter.
Snow days and remote learning
Snow is rare in most of Louisiana, so even small amounts can disrupt school travel.
Not verified in this research pass (official site blocked or not reached).
Estimate tomorrow's odds with the Snow Day Calculator.
SAT and ACT scores in Louisiana (class of 2026)
Louisiana's class of 2026 averaged 1198 on the SAT with 3% of graduates tested, and 18.4 on the ACT with 100% tested. Nationally the averages were 1045 (SAT) and 19.2 (ACT).
| Measure | Louisiana | U.S. | Rank (of 51) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT participation | 3% | n/a | 40 |
| SAT average total | 1198 | 1045 | 12 |
| SAT Reading & Writing / Math | 611 / 587 | 528 / 517 | — |
| SAT total, class of 2025 | 1195 | 1029 | — |
| ACT participation | 100% | 38% | 7 |
| ACT average composite | 18.4 | 19.2 | 43 |
Almost every Louisiana graduate takes the ACT (ACT statewide testing program (>=90% of grads tested)), so its ACT average covers the whole class, including students not planning on college. States where few students take the ACT post higher averages because their test takers are mostly college applicants. The SAT and ACT scores by state study shows this participation effect across all 50 states and DC. To see where a single score lands, use the SAT score calculator or the ACT score calculator.
Sources: College Board SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report (Louisiana, 2026); ACT 2026 average scores by state. Ranks are among the 50 states and DC.
Free tools for Louisiana families and teachers
- High school GPA calculator and final grade calculator
- AP score calculator for May exams
- EZ Grader and report card comments for teachers
- Homework planner and the 10-minute homework rule
This page replaces the Louisiana school listings of the homework-posting service that used this web address in the 2000s. The current site is independent of that service.
State rules change. Facts were checked against the linked sources on October 14, 2026; confirm with your district or state education department.