Summary:
The city of Iowa, Louisiana, is served by two public schools within the Calcasieu Parish district, which is ranked in the top 30% of districts statewide: Iowa High School (grades 6-12) and J. I. Watson Elementary School (Pre-K-5).
Iowa High School stands out as the stronger academic performer, consistently exceeding state averages in core subjects like Math (70% proficiency) and ELA (80% proficiency). It particularly excels in End-of-Course exams, dramatically outperforming district and state averages in U.S. History (70%) and Biology (72%). However, the school faces a significant challenge with a chronic absenteeism rate of 28.8%, far above the district and state averages. Despite this, its graduation rate of 89.3% remains well above the state average, suggesting effective support for students who stay enrolled. In contrast, J. I. Watson Elementary School shows mixed results: it performs well in Math (74%) and ELA (73%), but struggles notably in Social Studies (53% proficiency), particularly in 5th grade. The elementary school also serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (74% free/reduced lunch) compared to the high school (55%).
A key takeaway is the "middle school math slump" at Iowa High School, where math proficiency drops sharply from 78% in 6th grade to 57% in 8th grade—a 21-point decline that warrants attention. Additionally, there is a fascinating subject-level divergence: Social Studies is a weakness at the elementary level but a strength at the high school, while Science (Biology) is a standout subject for the high school. Overall, Iowa High School offers strong academic outcomes despite attendance issues, while J. I. Watson Elementary provides solid foundational skills in math and reading but needs improvement in social studies instruction.
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