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Gillis Elementary School

Q: Is Gillis Elementary School a good school?

Gillis Elementary School ranks 151 st of 690 Louisiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

151^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 690 Louisiana Elementary Schools

Better than 78% of Louisiana elementary schools

Summary

Gillis Elementary School in Lake Charles, LA, is a mid-sized elementary school serving 650 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the Calcasieu Parish school district, and it has established itself as a standout performer for its consistent academic growth and exceptional support for students from all backgrounds.

What truly sets Gillis apart is its remarkable effectiveness with students who face economic challenges. While over half of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch, the school ranks in the 81st percentile statewide for serving these students—a stark contrast to nearby schools like Combre-Fondel Elementary School and Pearl Watson Elementary School, which have higher poverty rates but rank much lower overall. Gillis also shines in its support for special education students, ranking in the 83rd percentile for this group, and has achieved a dramatic turnaround for African American students, who jumped from the 28th percentile in 2022-2023 to the 89th percentile in 2025-2026. Additionally, the school boasts a low chronic absenteeism rate of 14.8%, well below the district average of 20.9% and far better than schools like Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School (38%).

Gillis achieves results comparable to nearby high-performers like Moss Bluff Elementary School (79th percentile) and LeBleu Settlement Elementary School (93rd percentile), but it does so while serving a slightly more economically diverse student body. The school has shown a consistent upward trend over the past decade, moving from the 51st percentile in 2016 to the 78th percentile in 2026. One area for growth is social studies, where proficiency (60%) lags behind math (82%) and ELA (83%). Overall, Gillis is a model of equity and effectiveness, proving that a school with moderate poverty can achieve excellent results for all its students.

650

Students ?

12.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,229

Per pupil spending ?

53.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

916 Topsy Road
Lake Charles, LA 70611

(337) 217-4550

District: Calcasieu Parish

Students who attend Gillis Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Moss Bluff Middle School
High:	Sam Houston High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.5%

Hispanic:

8.2%

African American:

7.7%

See top rated Louisiana elementary schools

Compare Gillis Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 51st percentile in 2016 → 78th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Louisiana average (75% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 22% of Louisiana elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 27 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school75%

District avg68%

Louisiana avg62%

151^st of 690

Louisiana public elementary schools ?

Top 22%▲ up 27 pts since 2016

From top 49% (2016) to top 22% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Louisiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 29Elementary Schools in the Calcasieu Parish

31^st of 116Calcasieu Parish among Louisiana districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	78.1	151 of 690	78.1%	★★★★☆
2025	79.1	137 of 666	79.4%	★★★★☆
2024	81.4	121 of 675	82.1%	★★★★☆
2023	69.3	230 of 730	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.9	412 of 727	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.2	344 of 729	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.0	272 of 731	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.3	352 of 728	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	57.5	361 of 739	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	56.6	362 of 742	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	62.9	309 of 792	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	72.6	201 of 777	74.1%	★★★★☆
2013	72.1	207 of 772	73.2%	★★★★☆
2012	76.5	169 of 764	77.9%	★★★★☆
2011	78.3	156 of 766	79.6%	★★★★☆
2010	76.9	178 of 736	75.8%	★★★★☆
2009	79.3	137 of 738	81.4%	★★★★☆
2008	74.4	184 of 743	75.2%	★★★★☆
2007	79.1	145 of 725	80.0%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	84.8	58 of 548	89.4%	★★★★☆
2023	32.5	408 of 570	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	48.9	270 of 562	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.4	111 of 564	80.3%	★★★★☆
2018	56.7	224 of 547	59.0%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2018	44.3	155 of 281	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	71.0	200 of 679	70.5%	★★★★☆
2025	73.3	163 of 633	74.2%	★★★★☆
2024	77.6	136 of 635	78.6%	★★★★☆
2023	63.9	256 of 705	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.6	388 of 701	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.1	340 of 705	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.6	251 of 684	63.3%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	80.3	43 of 266	83.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	76.4	131 of 685	80.9%	★★★★☆
2025	76.5	130 of 661	80.3%	★★★★☆
2024	78.2	129 of 674	80.9%	★★★★☆
2023	53.1	350 of 723	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.7	429 of 724	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.1	375 of 719	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	63.2	275 of 697	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.1	457 of 682	33.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	82.2	113 of 682	83.4%	★★★★☆
2025	81.0	99 of 641	84.6%	★★★★☆
2024	82.1	105 of 651	83.9%	★★★★☆
2023	65.6	253 of 713	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.4	407 of 712	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.1	325 of 704	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	59.0	313 of 696	55.0%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	76.3	62 of 361	82.8%	★★★★☆
2025	86.5	21 of 241	91.3%	★★★★★
2024	81.3	22 of 208	89.4%	★★★★☆
2023	64.0	97 of 296	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	34.5	207 of 307	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.8	176 of 306	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	67.9	80 of 333	76.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	62.3	186 of 496	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	67.8	127 of 431	70.5%	★★★★☆
2024	66.6	147 of 434	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.3	274 of 518	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.3	436 of 517	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.9	407 of 522	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	48.0	313 of 517	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.3	393 of 516	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)89th percentile+11 vs school

Hispanic (2026)84th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2026)83rd percentile+5 vs school

Special Education (2026)83rd percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)81st percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)71st percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)62nd percentile-16 vs school

Disabled (2018)45th percentile-7 vs school

By subject vs Louisiana (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts83%+13 vs state

Mathematics82%+20 vs state

Social Studies60%+5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gillis Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				LEAP Mathematics (2026)					LEAP English Language Arts (2026)					LEAP Social Studies (2026)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	LEAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	LEAP Mathematics 4th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 5th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 6th Grade	LEAP Mathematics All Grades	LEAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts All Grades	LEAP Social Studies 3rd Grade	LEAP Social Studies 4th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 5th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 6th Grade	LEAP Social Studies All Grades	Total
Gillis Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	916 Topsy Road	Lake Charles	70611	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4550	650	54	12.1	53.7%	510 (78.5%)	50 (7.7%)	53 (8.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.2%)	78.1	151^st of 690 public elementary schools	78.1%		79.1	137^th of 666 public elementary schools	79.4%	14	83.0	81.0	79.0		82.0	82.0	84.0			83.0	51.0	61.0	69.0		60.0	$17,229
Moss Bluff Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	215 School Street	Lake Charles	70611	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4640	969	68	14.1	48.4%	746 (77.0%)	115 (11.9%)	50 (5.2%)	9 (0.9%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (4.6%)	78.9	142^nd of 690 public elementary schools	79.4%		88.4	66^th of 666 public elementary schools	90.1%	76	79.0	88.0	82.0		83.0	65.0	84.0			79.0	62.0	67.0	68.0		66.0	$14,473
Combre-Fondel Elementary School	Public	K-5	2115 Fitzenrieter Rd.	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4890	426	31	13.8	85.7%	10 (2.3%)	401 (94.1%)	7 (1.6%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	40.8	435^th of 690 public elementary schools	37.0%		43.9	394^th of 666 public elementary schools	40.8%	41	62.0	68.0	50.0		60.0	57.0	70.0			62.0	38.0	48.0	37.0		41.0	$16,822
Westwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1900 Sampson Street	Westlake	70669	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4940	412	31	13.4	63.8%	285 (69.2%)	69 (16.7%)	22 (5.3%)	6 (1.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.8%)								(n/a)																$16,050
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School	Public	3-5	1400 Opelousas Street	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4750	92	13	7.3	95.7%	0 (0.0%)	88 (95.7%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.3%)								(n/a)																$27,027
Western Heights Elementary School	Public	3-5	1100 Elizabeth Street	Westlake	70669	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4930	343	23	14.6	56.6%	258 (75.2%)	53 (15.5%)	12 (3.5%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.0%)	72	217^th of 690 public elementary schools	68.6%		85.2	90^th of 666 public elementary schools	86.5%	127	73.0				78.0	70.0	83.0			78.0	63.0	67.0	55.0		62.0	$14,921
LeBleu Settlement Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6509 Hwy 3059	Lake Charles	70615	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4880	386	27	14.1	53.6%	298 (77.2%)	57 (14.8%)	10 (2.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.7%)	90.4	48^th of 690 public elementary schools	93.0%		92.7	33^rd of 666 public elementary schools	95.0%	15	81.0		95.0		89.0	79.0	90.0	90.0		85.0	71.0	79.0	82.0		78.0	$14,820
John J. Johnson II Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	500 Malcolm Street	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4900	131	12	10.8	96.9%	6 (4.6%)	118 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.6%)	13.3	637^th of 690 public elementary schools	7.7%					(n/a)	50.0	46.0	27.0		42.0	46.0	42.0	46.0		45.0		25.0				$23,068
Pearl Watson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 5th Street	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4860	219	20	10.9	91.8%	7 (3.2%)	202 (92.2%)	7 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	27.3	534^th of 690 public elementary schools	22.6%		21.2	562^nd of 666 public elementary schools	15.6%	28	62.0	65.0	45.0		57.0	51.0	50.0	60.0		54.0	10.0		30.0		20.0	$18,016
Henry Mayfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	31820 Highway 90 West	Slidell	70460	St. Tammany Parish	St. Tammany Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(985) 643-5693	749	63	11.9	60.6%	344 (45.9%)	297 (39.7%)	43 (5.7%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (7.9%)	51.5	353^rd of 690 public elementary schools	48.8%		44.1	393^rd of 666 public elementary schools	41.0%	40	57.0	71.0		68.0	66.0	59.0	68.0		80.0	70.0	49.0	48.0	44.0	54.0	49.0	$16,591

Frequently Asked Questions about Gillis Elementary School

Is Gillis Elementary School a good school?

Gillis Elementary School ranks 151^st of 690 Louisiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Gillis Elementary School in?

Calcasieu Parish

What is the racial makeup of Gillis Elementary School?

Students at Gillis Elementary School are 78% White, 8% Hispanic, 8% African American, 5% Two or more races.

How many students attend Gillis Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 650 students attended Gillis Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Gillis Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Gillis Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Moss Bluff Middle School
High : Sam Houston High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Louisiana Dept of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.