Best Public Schools in West Monroe, LA

The city of West Monroe, Louisiana, is served by 18 public schools within the Ouachita Parish school district, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks in the 67th percentile statewide, offering a mix of 12 elementary, 4 middle, and 2 high schools that present a wide range of performance levels for families to consider.

The standout performer in the district is West Ridge Middle School, which has earned a 5-star rating for three consecutive years and boasts exceptional test scores, with 90% proficiency in ELA and 87% in Math. In contrast, Riser Elementary School and Riser Middle School have both received 1-star ratings for the past two years, with critically low test scores such as 35% Math proficiency at the elementary level. Boley Elementary School is a remarkable exception to the trend linking poverty and performance, as it achieved a 5-star rating in 2024-2025 despite having a 78.85% economic disadvantage rate, while Lenwil Elementary School struggles with the highest chronic absenteeism rate in the city at 28.3% and the highest economic disadvantage rate at 82.67%.

Both high schools, West Monroe High School and West Ouachita High School, maintain strong graduation rates above 91%, but West Monroe High School has an alarming chronic absenteeism rate of 36.5%, the highest in the city. The feeder pattern creates a clear divide, with high-performing elementary schools like Drew Elementary School (lowest absenteeism at 8.7%) and Kiroli Elementary School (83% Math proficiency) likely feeding into West Ridge Middle School, while struggling schools like Riser Elementary and Lenwil feed into Riser Middle School, highlighting an inequitable system where a student's zip code heavily influences their educational opportunities.