Morgan City Junior High School

Morgan City Junior High School is a middle school in Morgan City, LA, serving 412 students in grades 6-8 as part of the St. Mary Parish school district, which has a three-star state rating.

While the school has seen a significant decline in its overall state ranking—from the 54th percentile (3 stars) in 2018-2019 to the 25th percentile (1 star) for the 2025-2026 school year—it has some notable bright spots. Most striking is its Algebra I program, which has achieved a 100% proficiency rate on the End-of-Course exam for two consecutive years, proving the school can deliver exceptional results. Additionally, the school boasts a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 12.4%, which is nearly half the state average of 22.5% and the lowest among nearby peers. However, overall academic performance in core subjects like math (47% proficient), ELA (60% proficient), and social studies (41% proficient) lags behind the state averages and nearby schools. For example, Berwick Junior High School, just over two miles away, serves a similar student population but outperforms Morgan City in every academic metric, with 74% math proficiency and 80% ELA proficiency.

The school’s challenges are broad, with declining performance across all student subgroups, including female students, white students, and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. English Language Learners are in the bottom 10% of the state, a critical area needing attention. The contrast with Berwick, which has a similar economic profile and student-to-teacher ratio, suggests the performance gap is driven by school-level factors like instructional quality and curriculum, not demographics. The school has a strong foundation to build on: students are consistently attending, and the Algebra I success shows what’s possible. The key will be applying those effective practices to all classrooms to lift achievement for every student.