Summary:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Charter School is a single PK-8 elementary school in New Orleans, LA, serving 596 students and operating as its own district, Dwight D. Eisenhower Charter School.
This school presents a mixed picture of strengths and challenges. It has standout performance in English Language Arts (ELA), particularly in 5th grade (76% proficient vs. 73% state) and 8th grade (72% vs. 69% state), and achieves exceptional results on high school-level End-of-Course exams, with 100% of students proficient in English I and 86% in Algebra I—far exceeding state averages. However, Social Studies is a significant weakness, with only 40% of all students proficient, well below the state's 55%. The school's overall state ranking has declined over three years, from the 34th percentile to the 26th percentile, earning a 1-star rating. A critical concern is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 31.0%, nearly 40% higher than the state average of 22.5%. The student-teacher ratio is favorable at 12.9:1, and 76.51% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a high-poverty population.
Key takeaways for parents include the school's "two-speed" nature: it excels with advanced students in specific subjects like ELA and EOC exams, but struggles with consistent school-wide success, especially in Math and Social Studies. The high chronic absenteeism rate is likely the biggest barrier to improvement, making it hard for teachers to build on lessons. While the school has bright spots, its declining trajectory and high absenteeism suggest significant headwinds. The dropout rate of 3.5% is slightly above the state average of 3.1%, a concern for a PK-8 school. Overall, this school offers strong programs for some students but faces systemic challenges that affect its broader performance.
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