Caddo Parish

The Caddo Parish school district in Louisiana encompasses 55 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, and presents a stark contrast between a handful of elite magnet/fundamental schools and the majority of traditional public schools.

The district's standout performers are its magnet and fundamental schools, which are among the very best in the state. South Highlands Elementary Magnet School (ranked 3rd in the state) and Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary School (ranked 4th) boast near-perfect test scores and extremely low chronic absenteeism rates (1.2% and 4.0%, respectively). At the secondary level, Caddo Parish Magnet High School (ranked 6th) and Caddo Parish Middle Magnet School (ranked 6th) achieve near-100% proficiency on LEAP tests. In contrast, schools like Booker T. Washington High (4th percentile) and Woodlawn High School (2nd percentile) face significant challenges, with graduation rates below 76% and critically low test scores. Among traditional high schools, C.E. Byrd High School (75th percentile) is a strong performer, while Huntington High School and Northwood High School rank in the bottom 30%.

Chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of school performance, with the district average (31.0%) far exceeding the state average (22.5%). The most challenged schools, such as Fair Park Middle School (74.5% absenteeism) and Academic Recovery Ombudsman (63.2%), also have the lowest test scores. The data also reveals a strong link between socioeconomic status and achievement, as every top-performing school has a low percentage of students on free/reduced lunch, while every school with a high poverty rate struggles academically. The district overall ranks in the 26th percentile statewide, indicating significant room for improvement across most of its schools.