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Pearl Watson Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

562^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 666 Louisiana Elementary Schools

Better than 16% of Louisiana elementary schools

Summary

Pearl Watson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, serving 332 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Calcasieu Parish school district, which is ranked 33 out of 118 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

While Pearl Watson Elementary is part of a high-performing district, the school itself has consistently underperformed compared to its peers. Its chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 20.4% to 36.4%, are significantly higher than the nearby Brentwood Elementary School and T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School, which have rates around 24.6%. Additionally, Pearl Watson's test scores in Mathematics and English Language Arts are lower than the district and state averages, with proficiency rates of just 42% and 53%, respectively, in the 2024-2025 school year.

The school's performance is also a concern when looking at specific student groups. In the 2024-2025 school year, Pearl Watson Elementary ranked 384 out of 501 Louisiana elementary schools for African American students and 503 out of 661 for students of low socioeconomic status. Despite being part of a high-performing district, the school has not shown significant improvement in its rankings or test scores over the past several years, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and support to address its challenges.

219

Students ?

10.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,016

Per pupil spending ?

91.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1300 5th Street
Lake Charles, LA 70601

(337) 217-4860

District: Calcasieu Parish

Students who attend Pearl Watson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ray D. Molo Middle Magnet School
High:	Washington/Marion Magnet High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

92.2%

White:

3.2%

Hispanic:

3.2%

See top rated Louisiana elementary schools

Compare Pearl Watson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 10th percentile in 2015 → 16th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 6 percentile points since 2015

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Louisiana average (48% vs 65% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (16th percentile)

!Mathematics scores 18 pts below the Louisiana average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school48%

District avg74%

Louisiana avg65%

562^nd of 666

Louisiana public elementary schools ?

Bottom 16%▲ up 6 pts since 2015

From bottom 10% (2015) to bottom 16% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Louisiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

27^th of 29Elementary Schools in the Calcasieu Parish

33^rd of 118Calcasieu 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
2025	21.2	562 of 666	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.4	457 of 675	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	10.4	684 of 730	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	22.4	589 of 727	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.3	591 of 729	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.6	638 of 731	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	7.8	694 of 728	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	8.4	707 of 739	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	19.8	642 of 742	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	14.7	715 of 792	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	17.9	683 of 777	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	45.0	453 of 772	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	35.9	529 of 764	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2011	61.4	339 of 766	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	34.3	530 of 736	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	9.4	697 of 738	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	3.4	729 of 743	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	12.5	660 of 725	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2025	30.2	384 of 501	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	43.4	296 of 509	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	18.3	507 of 570	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	28.6	438 of 562	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.7	382 of 564	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.5	441 of 559	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	31.3	433 of 547	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2018	37.5	181 of 281	35.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2025	15.8	571 of 633	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	29.8	477 of 635	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	7.8	687 of 705	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.6	635 of 701	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	17.5	603 of 705	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.4	573 of 684	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2025	28.9	503 of 661	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	42.1	422 of 674	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	11.4	679 of 723	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	33.2	509 of 724	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.8	559 of 719	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.5	593 of 697	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.8	609 of 682	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2025	30.8	476 of 641	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	41.3	411 of 651	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	18.2	610 of 713	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.3	499 of 712	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	15.8	614 of 704	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.8	603 of 696	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2023	13.0	280 of 296	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	31.7	240 of 333	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Disabled (2018)36th percentile+31 vs school

Male (2025)26th percentile+10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)24th percentile+8 vs school

African American (2025)23rd percentile+8 vs school

Female (2025)10th percentile-6 vs school

Special Education (2023)5th percentile~ school

By subject vs Louisiana (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts53%-17 vs state

Mathematics42%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Pearl Watson Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				LEAP Mathematics (2025)				LEAP English Language Arts (2025)				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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	LEAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	LEAP Mathematics 4th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 5th 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 All Grades	Total
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%)	21.2	562^nd of 666 public elementary schools	15.6%		36.4	457^th of 675 public elementary schools	32.3%	105	49.0	47.0	28.0	42.0	47.0	65.0	50.0	53.0	$18,016
Oak Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2001 18th Street	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4850	259	25	10.3	84.9%	6 (2.3%)	244 (94.2%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	25.2	526^th of 666 public elementary schools	21.0%		45.5	393^rd of 675 public elementary schools	41.8%	133	42.0	51.0	56.0	50.0	27.0	62.0		57.0	$19,066
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%)								(n/a)									$23,068
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%)	7.6	643^rd of 666 public elementary schools	3.5%		21	560^th of 675 public elementary schools	17.0%	83		29.0	20.0	22.0	39.0	38.0	52.0	41.0	$27,027
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School	Public, Magnet	K-5	2711 Common Street	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	Yes	No	No	(337) 217-4680	300	16	18.7	15.0%	201 (67.0%)	42 (14.0%)	16 (5.3%)	22 (7.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.0%)	98	2^nd of 666 public elementary schools	99.7%		97.4	5^th of 675 public elementary schools	99.3%	3	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0		99.0	100.0	$14,387
T. H. Watkins Elementary School	Public	K-5	2501 Seventh Avenue	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4590	165	16	10.0	90.9%	6 (3.6%)	147 (89.1%)	5 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	35.5	452^nd of 666 public elementary schools	32.1%		38.8	440^th of 675 public elementary schools	34.8%	12	41.0	30.0	71.0	46.0	59.0	66.0		68.0	$20,609
Barbe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Penn Street	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4600	179	16	11.5	87.7%	16 (8.9%)	147 (82.1%)	9 (5.0%)	1 (0.6%)	2 (1.1%)	1 (0.6%)	3 (1.7%)	29.5	499^th of 666 public elementary schools	25.1%		29	508^th of 675 public elementary schools	24.7%	9	35.0		53.0	42.0	59.0	54.0	62.0	58.0	$20,944
Henry Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3600 Louisiana Avenue	Lake Charles	70607	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4620	315	33	9.4	79.7%	44 (14.0%)	238 (75.6%)	14 (4.4%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	29.7	498^th of 666 public elementary schools	25.2%		21.2	559^th of 675 public elementary schools	17.2%	61	43.0	43.0	41.0	42.0	60.0	65.0	63.0	62.0	$21,468
Brentwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3825 Brentwood Avenue	Lake Charles	70607	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4610	272	26	10.3	93.0%	6 (2.2%)	252 (92.6%)	6 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	49.1	361^st of 666 public elementary schools	45.8%		47.6	378^th of 675 public elementary schools	44.0%	17	57.0	34.0	58.0	48.0	69.0	71.0	79.0	72.0	$19,296
College Oaks Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3618 Ernest Street	Lake Charles	70605	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4560	278	27	10.3	82.0%	51 (18.3%)	202 (72.7%)	17 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	37.6	435^th of 666 public elementary schools	34.7%		31.6	489^th of 675 public elementary schools	27.6%	54	70.0	58.0		56.0	60.0	57.0	48.0	56.0	$21,783

Frequently Asked Questions about Pearl Watson Elementary School

Is Pearl Watson Elementary School a good school?

Pearl Watson Elementary School ranks in the bottom 15.6% of Louisiana elementary schools.

What district is Pearl Watson Elementary School in?

Calcasieu Parish

How many students attend Pearl Watson Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 219 students attended Pearl Watson Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Pearl Watson Elementary School?

Students at Pearl Watson Elementary School are 92% African American, 3% White, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Pearl Watson Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Pearl Watson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ray D. Molo Middle Magnet School
High : Washington/Marion Magnet 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.