Summary:
This analysis examines seven elementary schools in the Evangeline Parish school district in Louisiana, serving grades from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade, with a total enrollment of 2,810 students.
The standout school in the district is W. W. Stewart Elementary School, which leads in all core subjects (Math: 76%, ELA: 78%, Social Studies: 67%) and holds the highest state ranking (128th out of 690, 4 stars). In contrast, Ville Platte Elementary School faces the most significant challenges, ranking near the bottom (594th out of 690, 1 star) with the lowest test scores and the highest chronic absenteeism rate (39.5%). James Stephens Montessori School presents a unique growth story, achieving exceptional upper-grade results (100% ELA and 95% Math proficiency for 8th graders) despite a high poverty rate, and it boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism (11.0%). Other schools like Bayou Chicot Elementary School and Mamou Elementary School show moderate performance, while Chataignier Elementary School and Vidrine Elementary School have mixed results across grade levels.
Key metrics reveal a district average of 61% in Math, 70% in ELA, and 48% in Social Studies, with Social Studies being a district-wide weakness. Chronic absenteeism averages 25.1%, higher than the state average, and varies dramatically from 11.0% to 39.5%. The data shows a strong link between poverty, attendance, and performance, as schools with higher free/reduced lunch rates and absenteeism tend to have lower test scores. Notably, Ville Platte Elementary has the smallest class sizes (9.8:1 student-teacher ratio) but the worst outcomes, suggesting that addressing attendance and socioeconomic challenges is critical for improvement.
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