MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed in Newsweek highlighting the improvement in Louisiana’s K-12 schools and arguing that the states should have the power to decide education policies.

Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

“As graduation season approaches, some high school seniors face a sad reality: They never learned to read.

“Graduates throughout the country are filing lawsuits against their schools for failing to teach them basic math and reading skills. One student plaintiff said he couldn't even spell his name. Too many K-12 schools in America have become failure factories.”

. . .

“Looking at these numbers, it is easy to understand why many Republicans have proposed shutting down the Department of Education altogether. American students would be better off if the states handled education—and my home state, Louisiana, provides a perfect example.

“Between 2019 and 2024, Louisiana fourth graders went from ranking dead last in the country for reading proficiency to ranking 16th.”

. . .

“The status quo at the Department of Education isn't working, and the United States cannot afford to keep spending money on departments that don't deliver results for the American people. Louisiana's schools are far from perfect, but it is undeniable that our state is on the right track.”

Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.