This report compares Louisiana's reading and mathematics performance on the most recent administrations of the state assessment with performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To indicate how Louisiana is doing in narrowing the academic achievement gap between African American, Latino, or low-income students and their white, middle class peers, the report presents NAEP data by race, ethnicity, and family income. The report presents other state-level data on K-college education, including demographic distribution across each educational level, participation and success in Advanced Placement, percentage of students taking high-level courses, school funding gaps, and high school and college graduation rates. In 2002, 19 percent of all 4th graders were proficient or above in reading on the state assessment and on the 1998 NAEP assessment. Significantly more white than African American 4th graders were proficient or above in reading. In 2002, 4 percent of all 8th graders were proficient or above in mathematics on the state assessment, while 12 percent of Louisiana 8th graders performed at the proficient level on the 2000 NAEP assessment. More whites than African Americans proficient or above in math. Louisiana had the fourth largest African American-white 4th grade reading achievement gap in 1998 and the sixth largest African American-white achievement gap on the 2000 8th grade math assessment. African American students are underrepresented in Advanced Placement test taking, while Asian American and white students take them at high rates. About 35 percent of Louisiana high school students enroll in college, compared to 54 percent nationwide. About two in five of Louisiana's secondary classes are taught by teachers lacking a major or minor in the field. African Americans are underrepresented in gifted education and overrepresented in special education. Districts with the highest child poverty rates and highest minority enrollments have the fewest state and local dollars to spend per student. (SM)