LaSalle High School

LaSalle High School in Olla, LA, is a small rural high school serving 196 students in grades 9-12 within the LaSalle Parish school district, and it has recently achieved a remarkable academic turnaround.

LaSalle High School stands out as the clear academic leader in the region, having jumped from the 21st percentile statewide in 2017-2018 to the 83rd percentile in 2025-2026—a 62-percentile-point climb that earned it a 4-star rating. This performance far surpasses nearby Jena High School (59th percentile) and Caldwell Parish High School (24th percentile). The school’s test scores are exceptional, with 89% proficiency in Biology and 81% in English II—rates that are 29 and 14 percentage points above the state average, respectively. Even more impressive, LaSalle excels with its economically disadvantaged students, ranking in the 92nd percentile statewide for performance with low socioeconomic status students, despite 61.73% of its students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This success is paired with a near-perfect dropout rate of 0.0% for four of the last five years, well below the state average of 3.1%.

However, LaSalle faces a notable paradox: despite its stellar academics and low dropout rate, chronic absenteeism sits at 31.5%, higher than the state average of 22.5%. This suggests the school’s in-class experience is highly effective, even as some students miss significant school days. The school’s dramatic improvement—likely driven by new curricula or leadership—has made it a model for equity, neutralizing socioeconomic status as a predictor of success. For parents, LaSalle offers a small, personalized environment with a 10:1 student-teacher ratio, where students achieve top-tier results and stay on track to graduate, even if attendance remains a challenge to watch.