Acadia Parish

The Acadia Parish school district in Louisiana serves 27 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, and is ranked 29th out of 116 districts in the state, earning a 4-star rating. The standout schools in the district are Egan Elementary School and Evangeline Elementary School, both 5-star institutions that rank in the top 10% of the state, with Egan boasting a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 5.5% and Evangeline achieving perfect proficiency scores in several subjects. In contrast, Crowley High School and Crowley Middle School face significant challenges, with Crowley High dropping to a 1-star rating and a graduation rate of only 68.6%, while Crowley Middle sits in the 8th percentile with a 48.4% chronic absenteeism rate.

Key metrics reveal that the district performs slightly above the state average in Math (64% vs. 62%) and matches the state average in ELA (70%), but chronic absenteeism is a major issue, with a district average of 29.8% compared to the state's 22.5%. The "Iota Corridor" of success is evident, as Iota Elementary School, Iota Middle School, and Iota High School all maintain 4-star ratings, while schools in Crowley, such as South Crowley Elementary School and Ross Elementary School, struggle with low test scores and high poverty rates. Smaller rural schools like Mermentau Elementary School (142 students) and Estherwood Elementary School excel, ranking in the 89th and 74th percentiles respectively, despite having moderate poverty levels.

An interesting finding is that chronic absenteeism is the strongest predictor of performance, with a near-perfect inverse correlation to test scores and rankings across all schools. For example, South Rayne Elementary School defies expectations by ranking in the 84th percentile despite an 83% free/reduced lunch rate, proving that high poverty does not automatically lead to low performance. The AMIKids Acadiana alternative school stands out with a unique 103:1 student-teacher ratio and a 25.5% dropout rate, serving a specialized population of 34 students. Overall, parents should note the stark contrast between the high-achieving Iota and Egan communities and the systemic challenges in Crowley, where early intervention in chronic absenteeism could be key to improvement.