Summary:
The city of Gueydan, Louisiana, is served by two public schools within the highly-ranked Vermilion Parish district: Gueydan High School (grades 6-12) and Jesse Owens Elementary School (Pre-K through 5th grade), with a combined enrollment of 367 students and small class sizes averaging around 12 students per teacher.
Gueydan High School is the standout performer, showing remarkable academic improvement by jumping from the 49th to the 77th percentile in state rankings over three years. It boasts exceptional test scores in Algebra I (86% proficient), Biology (84%), and 8th-grade Social Studies (84%), all significantly above state averages, and maintains a perfect 0% dropout rate with a strong 90.5% graduation rate. In contrast, Jesse Owens Elementary School has seen a slight decline in its state ranking (from the 73rd to the 62nd percentile), though it excels in 5th-grade Math with an 84% proficiency rate—23 points higher than the state average. Both schools face a significant challenge with chronic absenteeism, with rates around 37% at the high school and 36% at the elementary school, far exceeding the state average of 22.5%.
Key takeaways include a notable "7th grade slump" at Gueydan High School, where proficiency in Math and English drops to 55%, suggesting a transitional hurdle. The high school also shows a clear strength in STEM subjects compared to humanities, with U.S. History proficiency at just 49%. Despite high absenteeism, the high school's strong academic results indicate effective teaching for attending students, while the elementary school's math excellence provides a solid foundation to build upon. Overall, Gueydan offers small, supportive schools with a standout high school that is rapidly improving, though addressing chronic absenteeism remains critical for both campuses.
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