Summary:
This analysis focuses on a single high school, Sarah Towles Reed High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 in New Orleans, LA, and operates as its own district, Sarah Towles Reed High School.
Sarah Towles Reed High School is a school facing significant challenges, with a student body that is 89.42% economically disadvantaged. The school ranks in the bottom 10% of Louisiana high schools, though it showed improvement from the 6th percentile in 2024-2025 to the 16th percentile in 2025-2026. Academic proficiency rates are well below state averages across all subjects, with the largest gap in English I (31% proficient vs. 66% statewide). The graduation rate of 75.7% is 9.3 points below the state average, and chronic absenteeism sits at 25.8%, higher than the state's 22.5%.
A notable paradox exists: the school reports a perfect 0.0% dropout rate for 2023-2024, yet has a low graduation rate and high chronic absenteeism. This suggests students are not formally leaving but may be disengaging or failing to meet graduation requirements on time. On a positive note, recent test scores show improvement, particularly in Algebra I (from 32% to 49% proficiency) and English II (from 27% to 43% proficiency), indicating potential academic gains for newer cohorts. The student-teacher ratio of 15.2:1 provides a reasonable classroom environment, but the school's performance is heavily influenced by the high level of economic need among its students.
Thank you for your feedback!