High Schools in Evangeline Parish

The three high schools in Evangeline Parish—Mamou High School, Basile High School, and Ville Platte High School—serve grades 9-12 (with Basile also serving grades 5-8) in a rural Louisiana district ranked 46th out of 116 in the state.

Mamou High School is the clear top performer, earning a 3-star rating for three consecutive years and ranking in the 58th percentile statewide. It boasts the highest graduation rate (89.7%) and the lowest dropout rate (0.4%) in the parish, consistently exceeding district averages in every End-of-Course subject. However, it faces a notable paradox: despite its academic success, it has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (38.2%) in the area. In contrast, Ville Platte High School struggles the most, with a 1-star rating, the lowest state ranking (27th percentile), and a dropout rate (5.0%) far above the state average. It also has the highest percentage of students on free/reduced lunch (84.01%) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.7), suggesting its challenges are tied more to socioeconomic factors than staffing levels. Basile High School sits in the middle with a 2-star rating, showing strength in English Language Arts but a significant weakness in U.S. History, where only 30% of students are proficient.

A key takeaway is that U.S. History is a parish-wide weakness, with proficiency rates at 58% (Mamou), 30% (Basile), and 25% (Ville Platte), indicating a systemic need for curriculum review. While all three schools exceed the state average graduation rate of 85%, chronic absenteeism is a concern across the board, with Mamou and Ville Platte both exceeding 33%. For parents, Mamou High School offers the strongest academic foundation, while Ville Platte High School may benefit from additional wraparound support services to address its deeper challenges.