High Schools in LaSalle Parish

The two public high schools in LaSalle Parish, Louisiana—Jena High School and LaSalle High School—serve grades 9 through 12 in a rural area where the district itself ranks in the top 8% statewide, yet the two schools offer very different academic experiences for families.

LaSalle High School is the clear standout, consistently ranking in the 83rd percentile over the past three years despite being the smaller school with 196 students and a lower student-teacher ratio of 10:1. It achieves remarkable academic results, including an 89% proficiency rate in Biology—29 points above the state average—and a perfect 0.0% dropout rate. Notably, LaSalle accomplishes this while serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (61.73% free/reduced lunch) than its counterpart, proving that socioeconomic factors do not limit success here. In contrast, Jena High School, with 490 students and a 14:1 ratio, shows more volatile performance, dropping from the 59th to 37th percentile before rebounding. Jena excels in English, with proficiency rates above 73% in both English I and II, but struggles with consistency in subjects like Geometry and U.S. History.

The most critical concern for both schools is chronic absenteeism, which far exceeds the state average of 22.5%. Jena High School has an alarming 37.5% chronic absenteeism rate, likely contributing to its academic volatility, while LaSalle High School sits at 31.5%. For parents, the choice is clear: LaSalle offers a smaller, more consistent environment with exceptional STEM outcomes, while Jena provides a larger setting with strong English programs but needs to address attendance issues to stabilize its performance.