Summary:
The city of Jackson, Louisiana, is served by two public schools within the East Feliciana Parish school district: Jackson Elementary School (grades PK-6) and East Feliciana High School (grades 9-12), together enrolling 475 students in a high-poverty area where over 86% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Jackson Elementary School is a standout for its strong upward trajectory, having climbed from a 0-star to a 2-star rating in just two years. Its English Language Arts proficiency (67%) nearly matches the state average, and its 3rd and 4th-grade reading scores actually exceed state averages, indicating a solid foundation in early literacy. The school also boasts a low chronic absenteeism rate of 13.9%, well below the state average of 22.5%. In contrast, East Feliciana High School faces significant challenges, with proficiency rates in U.S. History (17%) and Biology (45%) far below district and state averages. Its chronic absenteeism rate is alarmingly high at 29.8%, and its graduation rate (76.9%) and dropout rate (6.8%) are both worse than state averages. A notable bright spot is the high school's Algebra I proficiency (72%), which exceeds the state average of 65%.
The data reveals a stark "feeder pattern" disconnect: while Jackson Elementary is building strong academic foundations, these gains do not appear to carry over to East Feliciana High School. Both schools have favorable student-teacher ratios (13.5:1 and 12.6:1), yet this resource does not translate into high school success, suggesting that non-academic barriers—such as the high absenteeism rate—may be overwhelming instruction. For parents, this means the elementary school offers a promising start, but the high school environment requires urgent attention to attendance and academic support to ensure students stay on track through graduation.
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