Summary:
There are three middle schools in the Natchitoches Parish school district in Louisiana, serving grades 5 through 8 with a combined enrollment of about 932 students, and the data reveals a stark contrast between a high-performing lab school and two schools serving a highly economically disadvantaged population.
N.S.U. Middle Lab School is the standout performer, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 2-3% of Louisiana middle schools for three consecutive years. It achieves exceptional academic results, with 95% proficiency in Math and 94% in ELA, and a low chronic absenteeism rate of 7.7%. In contrast, East Natchitoches Elementary & Middle School and Natchitoches Junior High School serve student bodies where over 97% qualify for free/reduced lunch, and their academic performance is significantly lower. East Natchitoches shows a relative strength in ELA (70% proficient) but struggles in Math (45% proficient), while Natchitoches Junior High has a 1-star rating but a notable bright spot: a perfect 100% proficiency rate in English I for the 2024-2025 school year.
Chronic absenteeism rates correlate strongly with performance, with N.S.U. Middle Lab at 7.7% compared to over 16% at the other two schools. Additionally, grade-level performance drops are evident in the high-poverty schools, with 8th-grade Math proficiency at Natchitoches Junior High falling to 43% from 56% in 7th grade, suggesting students may fall further behind as they progress. The district ranks in the 82nd percentile statewide, a ranking likely buoyed by N.S.U. Middle Lab's outstanding scores, highlighting a significant disparity within the same parish.
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