Varnado High School

Varnado High School is a small, rural school in Varnado, LA, serving 256 students in grades 6 through 12 within the Washington Parish school district, where over 82% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Varnado High School is a school of notable contrasts, showing both exceptional strengths and clear challenges. Its most outstanding feature is its work with Special Education students, ranking in the 89th percentile statewide—far surpassing any nearby school. The school also shines in Algebra I, with 76% of students proficient, well above the state average of 65% and comparable to the high-performing Pine School (91%). Additionally, the graduation rate is strong at 90.5%, exceeding both the district (83.2%) and state (85.0%) averages. However, these bright spots exist alongside struggles in foundational math, such as 7th-grade math where only 30% of students are proficient. The school also faces a growing challenge with chronic absenteeism, which has nearly doubled in two years to 26.9%, higher than the state average of 22.5%.

Compared to other schools in the area, Varnado offers a more intimate learning environment with a low student-to-teacher ratio of 10.5:1, smaller than Franklinton High School (12.4:1) and Pine School (15.6:1). While Varnado outperforms Bogalusa High School (from the City of Bogalusa School District) in nearly every metric, it is outperformed by its district-mate, Pine School, which benefits from a lower poverty rate. Overall, Varnado is a school on an upward trajectory, having achieved a 2-star rating for three consecutive years, but it remains a work in progress with significant gaps to close.