Summary:
Wilson Charter School is a single elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana, serving grades PK through 8 with 601 students, and it operates as its own district, the Wilson Charter School district.
This school presents a fascinating contrast in performance. On one hand, its advanced programs are exceptional: 100% of students taking English I and 94% taking Algebra I were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year, dramatically exceeding state averages. However, the school's core academic program for grades 3-8 consistently underperforms state averages in math (49% vs. 62%), English (57% vs. 70%), and social studies (47% vs. 55%). A notable bright spot is the 6th grade class, which outperforms the state in social studies (57% vs. 49%) and nearly matches state averages in math. The school's overall state ranking has remained in the bottom 25th percentile for three consecutive years, earning a 1-star rating.
The most critical challenge facing the school is a chronic absenteeism rate of 29.7%, significantly higher than the state average of 22.5%, which likely drives the low overall test scores. Additionally, the dropout rate of 5.3% is nearly double the state average of 3.1%. With 78.54% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a high-poverty population. The data suggests the school excels at accelerating its top students but struggles to raise achievement for the broader student body, making the high absenteeism rate the most pressing systemic issue to address for improvement.
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