Louisiana
Heartbreak In Louisiana: A Baby's Life Cut Short
A truly heartbreaking scene unfolded on a Louisiana roadway Sunday afternoon, according to officials with Louisiana State Police, and a one-year-old baby died as a result.
What Details Are Being Released About The Crash?
At around 1 o’clock on the afternoon of Sunday, April 13, Trooper First Class Ryan Davis who works for the Public Affairs Section of State Police says a 27-year-old woman lost control of her vehicle.
While officials are releasing information it’s only from the preliminary investigation, as the investigation is ongoing. Davis says they do not know the reason why the woman’s ran off of the right side of the road.
Davis says Shanice Kyles’ vehicle went off of the roadway where it slammed into a tree and flipped over.
Louisiana State Police Fatal Crash Investigation
What Else Is Known About The Crash?
Davis says the 1-year-old child was not properly restrained in the backseat. Unfortunately, the child suffered severe injuries.
Little Amelia Kyles was taken to a hospital for treatment, but the child died later on.
The mother of the baby, Shanice, was wearing a seat belt, and another child in the backseat of the vehicle only received minor injuries. Davis says the other child was also not properly restrained.
Louisiana State Police Vehicle, Photo courtesy of Louisiana State Police
What Happens At This Point?
Davis says impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this crash, but routine toxicology samples are taken for analysis when a crash involves a fatality.
Louisiana State Police Badge
What Do Officials With Louisiana State Police Want Drivers To Know About Child Safety Seats?
- All persons in a vehicle must be wearing a seat belt.
- Each child in a vehicle must be in a child safety seat made for their age, weight, and height.
- Officials say 3 out of 4 car seats are not used properly.
Understanding the proper way to install a child safety seat can be daunting. If you need help, it is recommended that you get it. Visit lahighwaysafety.org to find a Child Safety Fitting Station.
Officials say the investigation into the fatal crash on Louisiana Highway 80 continues.
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LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born?
Data for this list was acquired from trusted online sources and news outlets. Read on to discover what major law was passed the year you were born and learn its name, the vote count (where relevant), and its impact and significance.
Gallery Credit: Katelyn Leboff
Florida Considers Making Cursive Mandatory In Schools
Florida lawmakers mull over mandatory cursive lessons in elementary schools to enhance literacy and historical document comprehension.
When it comes to primary education, it’s important to choose a school that’s the right fit and offers educational opportunities.
U.S. News & World Report analyzed 103,391 Pre-Kindergarten, elementary and middle schools in order to determine which are the best throughout the U.S.
To do so, U.S. News & World Report assessed schools’ shares of students who were proficient in math and reading scores, and assessed such scores in the context of socioeconomic demographics.
US News & World Report best elementary schools in Louisiana for 2026
U.S. News & World Report analyzed 1,125 elementary schools in Louisiana, and these schools ranked as the 11 best.
1. Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies
Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies in Metairie is ranked as the best elementary school in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. This public elementary school serves Pre-Kindergarten to fifth grade, with a student population of 377 and a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. At this school, 98% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 98% scored at or above the proficient level for reading.
2. T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School in Lake Charles is ranked as the second best elementary school in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The student population of this schools is 302, and the school serves grades Kindergarten through fifth, with a student-teacher ratio of 19:1. Here, 92% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 98% scored at or above the proficient level for reading.
3. South Highlands Elementary Magnet School
South Highlands Elementary Magnet School in Shreveport is the third best elementary school in Louisiana, according to U.S. News & World Report. This school has a student population of 512 with a student-ration of 16:1, serving grades Pre-Kindergarten through fifth. Ninety-seven percent of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 92% scored at or above the proficient level in reading.
4. Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies
Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies in Gretna is a public school that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. This school has a student population of 366 and a student-teacher ratio of 18:1. Here, 98% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 92% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & Word Report.
5. Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies
Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies is a public school in Metairie that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. This school has a student population of 429 and a student-teacher ratio of 16:1. Ninety-two percent of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and the same percentage scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.
6. Fairfield Magnet School
Fairfield Magnet School is a public school in Shreveport that serves grades Pre-Kindergarten through fifth, with a student-teacher ratio of 15:1. The student population at this school is 528, with 93% scoring at or above the proficient level for math and 91% scoring at or above the proficient level for reading, says U.S. News & World Report.
7. Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School
Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School in Baton Rouge is a public school that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. Here, the student population is 468 and the student-teacher ratio is 14:1. At this school, 92% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 90% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, says U.S. News & World Report.
8. Mayfair Laboratory School
Mayfair Laboratory School in Baton Rouge is a public school that has a student population of 504 and a student-teacher population of 11:1. This school serves grades Kindergarten through eighth, with 88% of students scoring at or above the proficient level for math and 87% scoring at or above the proficient level for reading, says U.S. News & World Report.
9. Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies
Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies is a public school in Westwego that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. The school has a student population of 359 and a student-teacher ratio of 17:1. Here, 87% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and the same percentage scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.
10. Phoenix Magnet Elementary School
Phoenix Magnet Elementary School is a public school in Alexandria that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. This school has a student population of 319 and a student-teacher ratio of 13:1. Seventy-seven percent of students at this school scored at or above the proficient level for math and 92% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.
11. Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary School
Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary School is a public school in Shreveport that serves Kindergarten through fifth grade. The student population of this school is 506 and the student-teacher ratio is 16:1. At this school, 88% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 86% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
It’s report card day for Louisiana schools and many have reason to celebrate.
Statewide, 44% of elementary and middle schools and 70% of high schools earned an A or B based on academic results from the 2024-2025 school year, according to state data released Thursday. Collectively, Louisiana’s public schools earned a B, and the statewide performance score grew by nearly one point to 80.9 — the highest it’s been since the current rating system launched over a decade ago.
But for many schools, the good grades won’t last.
Next year, a tougher rating system will kick in. To help prepare schools and the public for the shift, the Louisiana Department of Education released simulated grades this year alongside schools’ official grades. The simulated grades, which carry no weight, show how schools would have fared this year had the new system been in effect. It’s the first public preview of how grades will likely change when the revamped rating system launches in 2026.
For elementary and middle schools, the results would look similar to today: Most would earn the same or better grades, with just 16% getting lower ratings. But for high schools, the difference would be dramatic: 76% would get lower grades under the revised rating system.
The searchable table below shows the actual grade each school and district earned this year, as well as simulated grades based on the revised system.
The next table shows school and district performance scores. The 2024 and 2025 scores are on a 150-point scale, while the simulated scores are on a 100-point scale.
Louisiana
LDWF Announces $5.2 Million for Conservation Projects through the Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program
Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced that the Louisiana Outdoor Forever (LOF) Project Selection Board voted to fund 5 conservation projects in Louisiana based on the review, evaluation, and scoring received from LOF’s Technical Advisory Board. The LOF program will allocate $921,350 and leverage $4.29 million for a total conservation investment of $5.21 million to these projects. The LOF program is administered by the LDWF and helps Louisiana become more competitive in securing grant opportunities.
Projects selected for funding:
Project Name
Project Location
Organization
Funding Amount Requested
Match Funds
Total Project Amount
Bayou L’Ours Phase V Terraces
Golden Meadow, Lafourche Parish, LA; 29°24’44.71″N, 90°8’52.90″W
Ducks Unlimited / Partner with Lafourche Parish
$213,500.00
$3,485,641.00
$3,699,141.00
Enhancing Wood Duck Habitat in Pearl River WMA through Duck Box Installation and Community Ed.
Pearl River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) below Indian Village Road on West and Middle Pearl River
Southern Quacker Wildlife Conservation (SQWC) / Partner with LDWF
$8,000.00
$6,000.00
$14,000.00
Enhancing Mottled Duck Breeding Habitat in Southwest Louisiana
Multiple parishes in Southwest Louisiana
Ducks Unlimited / Partner with LDWF
$100,000.00
$200,000.00
$300,000.00
Napoleonville Bayou Access and Emergency Boat Launch Project
Bayou Lafourche – right descending bank; Assumption Parish
Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District
$500,000.00
$500,000.00
$1,000,000.00
Beechwood-Bayou Sara Tunica Hills Protection
Beechwood Tract and Sleepy Hollow Tract in West Feliciana Parish
The Nature Conservancy / partner with LDWF
$99,850.00
$99,850.00
$199,700.00
Total
$921,350.00
$4,291,491.00
$5,212,841.00
The Louisiana Outdoors Forever (LOF) Program was created during the 2022 legislative session with House Bill 762 to provide funding for outdoor conservation projects across the state.
You can also sign up for meeting and Louisiana Outdoors Forever press releases by visiting here and selecting an interest of “Conservation.”
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