Westlake High School

Westlake High School in Westlake, LA, is a mid-sized public school serving 487 students in grades 9-12 within the Calcasieu Parish school district, a district ranked in the top 27% of Louisiana. The school stands out for its exceptional performance in Geometry, with 80% of students proficient—far exceeding the state average of 57%—and for its outstanding support of students from low socio-economic backgrounds, who rank in the 72nd percentile statewide. Additionally, Westlake boasts a remarkably low dropout rate of just 0.8%, significantly lower than the district and state averages, showing a strong ability to keep students on track to graduation.

However, Westlake faces notable challenges. While it excels with low-income students, performance has sharply declined for other groups, including a drop from the 79th to the 42nd percentile for African American students and a fall from the 50th to the 18th percentile for special education students over recent years. Chronic absenteeism is also a growing concern, rising from 7.8% pre-pandemic to 21.1% in 2024-2025, meaning many students are missing significant class time even though they aren't dropping out. This creates a "tale of two schools" where support systems work well for some but need urgent improvement for others.

Compared to nearby schools, Westlake is a solid mid-tier option. It outperforms similar-sized schools like DeQuincy High School (45th percentile) and Vinton High School (52nd percentile), and is a much stronger choice than struggling schools like LaGrange High School or Washington/Marion Magnet High School. However, it trails top-performing neighbors like Sam Houston High School (88th percentile) and Alfred M. Barbe High School, which achieve proficiency rates 10-20 points higher in most subjects. Westlake’s future success will depend on reversing declines for specific student groups and tackling absenteeism while building on its math and equity strengths.