Best Public Schools in Tickfaw, LA

The three public schools in Tickfaw, Louisiana—Midway Elementary School, Lucille Nesom Memorial, and Natalbany Middle School—serve a combined 1,201 students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade, all part of the Tangipahoa Parish school district, which is ranked 92nd out of 116 districts in Louisiana. These schools face significant challenges, with very high rates of economic disadvantage—over 81% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch—and chronic absenteeism rates that far exceed the state average, ranging from 28.8% at Natalbany Middle to 39.6% at Midway Elementary.

Midway Elementary stands out as the highest-performing school in Tickfaw, earning a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking in the 37th percentile statewide. Its 3rd-grade students achieve 61% proficiency in ELA, well above the district average of 52%, and overall math and social studies scores are competitive with district levels. In contrast, Lucille Nesom Memorial and Natalbany Middle both rank in the bottom 10th percentile, with overall proficiency rates in math (38% and 37%, respectively) and ELA (both 54%) falling below district averages. However, there are notable bright spots: Natalbany Middle achieved a perfect 100% proficiency rate on the English I End-of-Course exam, and Lucille Nesom Memorial posted exceptional 7th-grade scores of 67% in ELA and 71% in social studies, far exceeding state averages.

The data reveals a clear "middle school problem" in Tickfaw, as students in grades 4-8 at both Lucille Nesom and Natalbany Middle struggle academically, with overall proficiency rates significantly below the district. This suggests that the strong early foundation built at Midway Elementary is not being sustained in later years. Chronic absenteeism is a critical crisis across all schools, with rates up to 76% higher than the state average, likely a primary driver of low performance. Despite these challenges, the pockets of excellence—like the perfect EOC scores and standout 7th-grade results—show that exceptional outcomes are possible, and replicating the strategies behind these successes should be a top priority for the district.