Summary:
Belcher, Louisiana, is home to a single school, Herndon Magnet School, a K-8 institution serving 701 students that stands as a remarkable "pocket of excellence" within the Caddo Parish school district, which is ranked in the bottom 26% of Louisiana districts.
Herndon Magnet School is a clear academic standout, consistently earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past three school years and ranking in the top 5% of all elementary schools in Louisiana (32nd out of 690 schools). Its overall proficiency rates are exceptional: 93% in both Mathematics and English Language Arts, and 82% in Social Studies. These scores dramatically outpace the district averages by an average of 35 percentage points (e.g., Math: 93% vs. 51% district). The school also boasts a low chronic absenteeism rate of 16.7%, significantly lower than the district's 31.0% and the state's 22.5%, and a dropout rate of just 0.6% compared to the district's 4.1%. A particularly impressive finding is that 5th graders achieved near-perfect scores of 99% proficiency in Math and ELA, and 95% in Social Studies.
With a student-teacher ratio of 16:1 and a free/reduced lunch rate of 34.09%, Herndon Magnet School appears to benefit from a supportive community and strong instructional practices. Its consistent top-tier performance over three consecutive years suggests a sustainable system of high achievement, likely enhanced by its "magnet" designation, which may attract motivated families from across the district. For parents, this school offers a proven track record of academic excellence that far exceeds its surrounding district and state averages.
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