Best Public Schools in Slidell, LA

The city of Slidell, Louisiana, is home to 20 public schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, all part of the highly-rated St. Tammany Parish school district, which ranks in the top 20% of districts in the state. The standout performer is Northshore High School, which ranks in the top 15% of Louisiana high schools with exceptional test scores in Algebra I, Geometry, and English II, and a strong 85.7% graduation rate. In contrast, Salmen High School struggles significantly, ranking in the bottom 30% with low test scores and a high dropout rate of 5.3%. At the elementary level, Whispering Forest Elementary School leads the city with outstanding proficiency rates in Math (75%) and ELA (84%), while Alton Elementary School faces the most critical challenges, with the lowest test scores and the highest rate of economic disadvantage in the city.

Key metrics reveal a city-wide concern with chronic absenteeism, averaging 24.8% across all schools, which is higher than both the district and state averages. Honey Island Elementary School and Little Oak Middle School are bright spots with the lowest absenteeism rates (13.7% and 13.9% respectively), while St. Tammany Junior High School has the highest rate at 35.0%. The average student-teacher ratio is a favorable 12.7:1, and the average high school graduation rate is 78.2%, below the state average of 85.0%. Slidell High School has the lowest graduation rate in the city at 72.6% and shows a concerning downward trend in its state ranking.

An interesting finding is the strong performance of Boyet Junior High School, which has shown an upward trend in its ranking and excels in ELA (81% proficient) and Social Studies (73% proficient). The data also highlights a potential "middle school slump," with some middle schools like Slidell Junior High School and St. Tammany Junior High showing significant struggles compared to top-performing elementary schools. Overall, parents should note that while some schools like Northshore High and Whispering Forest Elementary offer exceptional opportunities, others face significant challenges related to absenteeism and academic performance, making school choice a critical decision in this diverse educational landscape.