Concordia Parish public schools saw an increase this year in the percentage of students scoring on the basic level or above on the LEAP Test in the areas of English and math.

&uot;We had a greater number to pass the LEAP this year than last year,&uot; Vidalia Upper Elementary Principal Darla Johnson said. The LEAP test is administered every year to fourth- and eighth-graders to test how well students have mastered state content standards.

To prepare for the LEAP test, Vidalia Upper Elementary offered in-school and after-school tutoring and remediation classes for those &uot;at risk&uot; students.

At-risk students are those who are identified ahead of time that may not pass the LEAP. &uot;We identified those kids early on and I think it helped,&uot; Johnson said. Most of the at-risk students passed the LEAP, Johnson said.

In 2002, 55 percent of fourth-graders scored basic or above in the area of English, and this year that percentage rose to 57 percent, and eighth-graders rose from 55 percent to 56 percent.

In the area of mathematics, fourth-graders went from 44 percent pass rate to 52 percent this year.

The percentage of eighth-graders to score basic or above in mathematics dropped three percent this year, but the percentage of students to score unsatisfactory, 26 percent, was lower than the Louisiana state average of 30 percent. The areas of science and social studies proved to be a weak spot for Concordia students.

In 2002, 51 percent of fourth-graders made basic or better scores on the LEAP Test, and this year only 44 percent made those scores.

Eighth-graders also dropped from 55 percent in 2002 to 50 percent this year.

Eighth-graders also took a dive in social studies with a 10 percent decrease and fourth-graders with a three percent decrease.