High Schools in Lafayette Parish

The Lafayette Parish school district in Louisiana serves nine high schools, ranging from small accelerated programs to large comprehensive campuses, and presents a starkly divided academic landscape where a few elite magnet schools achieve world-class results while several traditional high schools struggle significantly.

The district's top performers are its selective-admission magnet schools. Early College Academy is the undisputed academic powerhouse, ranked #4 in the state with 100% proficiency on several LEAP exams and a 0% dropout rate. David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy is a close second, ranked #9 in the state with exceptional proficiency across all subjects. In contrast, Northside High School faces the most critical challenges, ranking 289th in the state with a 1-star rating, the lowest graduation rate (73.1%), and the highest chronic absenteeism rate (62.1%). Carencro High School also struggles with a 1-star rating, a high dropout rate (5.1%), and test scores well below district averages. Among traditional schools, Southside High School stands out as a quiet overachiever, ranking 53rd in the state with a strong 92.9% graduation rate and consistently above-average test scores.

Chronic absenteeism emerges as a critical warning sign, with Northside High School (62.1%), Edward J Sam Accelerated School of Lafayette (56.4%), and Carencro High School (40.3%) far exceeding the district average of 24.0%. Edward J Sam Accelerated School presents a paradox: it has a high state ranking (63rd) and strong test scores in subjects like Biology (84%), yet it simultaneously has the lowest graduation rate (37.1%) and the highest dropout rate (9.0%), suggesting its high ranking may be misleading regarding overall effectiveness. The district's overall 4-star rating is likely buoyed by its magnet schools, masking the significant challenges faced by its traditional comprehensive high schools.