High Schools in Acadia Parish

This analysis examines six high schools within the Acadia Parish school district in Louisiana, serving grades 9-12 across a mix of rural and small-town communities.

The district presents a clear contrast in performance. Iota High School is the academic leader, consistently earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the top 25% of Louisiana high schools, with exceptional test scores like 92% proficiency in Algebra I. Midland High School is a remarkable success story, jumping from a 2-star to a 4-star school in just two years and now leading the district in English II (84% proficient) and Biology (70% proficient). In contrast, Crowley High School faces significant challenges, with the lowest graduation rate (68.6%), highest dropout rate (6.7%), and lowest test scores among traditional schools. Rayne High School and Church Point High School fall in the middle, with Church Point boasting the highest graduation rate at 93.7% despite lower test scores. AMIKids Acadiana is an alternative school serving a high-need population of 34 students and is not directly comparable to the traditional high schools.

A critical district-wide issue is chronic absenteeism, with every traditional school exceeding the state average of 22.5%, including Iota at 41.4% and Crowley at 46.0%. Additionally, U.S. History proficiency is a consistent weakness across the parish, with no school exceeding 54% proficiency. The data also shows a strong correlation between socioeconomic factors and performance, as schools with higher poverty rates, like Crowley (75% free/reduced lunch), tend to have lower academic outcomes, while Iota, with the lowest poverty rate (39%), performs best.