New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) is a highly selective, public arts magnet high school in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans, serving 224 students in grades 9 through 12 as its own single-school district. NOCCA stands out as an academic powerhouse, consistently ranking in the top 3% of all Louisiana high schools over the past decade, with a 5-star rating and state percentile ranking of 96 or higher every year since 2014. The school’s success is driven by an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 3.4:1, a near-zero chronic absenteeism rate of 3.6%, and a 0% dropout rate—all stark contrasts to nearby schools like Warren Easton Charter High School, which has a 50.8% chronic absenteeism rate, or The NET Charter High School, which has a 31.6:1 student-teacher ratio.

Academically, NOCCA’s proficiency rates on LEAP End-of-Course exams are often double or triple those of neighboring schools. For example, in U.S. History (2025-2026), NOCCA achieved 95% proficiency compared to 31% at Young Audiences Charter High School and 26% at Warren Easton. In Biology (2024-2025), NOCCA scored 91% versus 48% at International High School of New Orleans and 58% at Warren Easton. The school also excels in English II (2025-2026) with 85% proficiency, far outpacing New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School (57%) and Warren Easton (51%). This performance places NOCCA at #8 in the state (98th percentile), while the nearest comparable schools, like New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy (#191, 41st percentile), lag far behind.

NOCCA’s model demonstrates remarkable equity in performance across student subgroups, with African American students, White students, and Low Socioeconomic Status students all scoring at the 96th percentile or higher (2025-2026 data). This suggests the school’s intensive, arts-focused environment elevates all admitted students, minimizing achievement gaps. However, NOCCA serves a less economically disadvantaged population (42.86% free/reduced lunch) compared to schools like G W Carver High School (93.13%) or Frederick A. Douglass High School (87.39%), highlighting that its specialized program is designed for a motivated, arts-focused student body rather than a one-size-fits-all solution for urban education challenges.