Summary:
This analysis focuses on a single institution, Pierre A. Capdau S.T.E.A.M School, an elementary and middle school (PK-8) serving 565 students in New Orleans, Louisiana, operating as its own single-school district, Pierre A. Capdau S.T.E.A.M. School.
Despite its S.T.E.A.M. focus, the school's biggest challenge is mathematics, with only 32% of all students proficient in math compared to the state average of 62%—a 30-point gap. However, there are bright spots: English Language Arts (ELA) is the school's strongest subject, with 60% proficiency, close to the state average of 70%. Notably, 7th grade stands out as the highest-performing grade level across all subjects, including math (52% proficient) and ELA (60% proficient), suggesting either an exceptionally strong cohort or particularly effective teaching. Additionally, students taking Algebra I excel, with 73% proficiency—10 points above the state average—indicating that advanced math students are well-prepared.
A critical issue is chronic absenteeism, which at 35.7% is 58% higher than the state average of 22.5%, likely a root cause of low test scores. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 85% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and has a reasonable student-teacher ratio of 14.4:1. The school ranks in the bottom 16th percentile in Louisiana (Rank 579 out of 690) with a slightly declining trend. The dropout rate is 3.3%, just above the state average. For parents, the key takeaway is that while the school struggles significantly in math and attendance, it has clear strengths in ELA and advanced math, with 7th grade being a particular area of success worth investigating.
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