Summary:
The six public schools serving Kentwood, Louisiana, all part of the Tangipahoa Parish school district, educate about 2,023 students from elementary through high school in a community where over 81% of students face economic disadvantage.
Spring Creek Elementary School is the clear standout, consistently earning a 3-star state rating and outperforming both district and state averages in nearly every subject—for example, 78% of its students are proficient in English Language Arts versus 70% statewide—despite 68.84% of its students being economically disadvantaged. In contrast, Kentwood High Magnet School struggles the most, with the lowest state ranking (13th percentile), critically low proficiency rates (34% in Math, 31% in Social Studies), and a 49.3% chronic absenteeism rate. O.W. Dillon Leadership Academy faces the highest poverty rate at 95.54% and is among the lowest-performing, while Chesbrough Elementary School shows mixed results, exceeding the state in Math (58% vs. 62%) but falling short in ELA (51% vs. 70%). Jewel M. Sumner Middle School is the strongest middle school, and Jewel M. Sumner High School shows some strength in English I (61%) but struggles in Algebra I (35%) and U.S. History (33%).
The most critical issue across Kentwood is chronic absenteeism, averaging 36.1%—far above the state average of 22.5%—with both high schools exceeding 48%. This directly correlates with low academic performance, making it the primary barrier to improvement. The success of Spring Creek Elementary proves that effective school leadership and culture can overcome socioeconomic hurdles, while the stark contrast between the two high schools—Jewel M. Sumner High (25th percentile, 69.86% poverty) and Kentwood High Magnet (13th percentile, 92.28% poverty)—highlights how concentrated poverty and disengagement create vastly different outcomes within the same district.
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