Elementary Schools in Ouachita Parish

The Ouachita Parish school district in Louisiana is home to 22 elementary schools serving grades Pre-K through 5th, with a few exceptions like Pinecrest Elementary/Middle School (PK-8). The district ranks in the 67th percentile statewide and generally outperforms the state average in math, English, and social studies, though there is a wide range of performance between its top and bottom schools.

The standout performers are Claiborne School and Drew Elementary School, both ranking in the 87th and 88th percentiles respectively. Claiborne leads with 87% English proficiency and a low 12.7% chronic absenteeism rate, while Drew boasts the highest social studies score (78%) and an even lower absenteeism rate of 8.7%. Boley Elementary School is a remarkable success story, jumping from the 71st to the 96th percentile in one year despite a high poverty rate of nearly 79%. At the other end, Shady Grove Elementary School and Robinson Elementary School face significant challenges, ranking near the bottom of the state with the lowest test scores and highest poverty rates (over 94%).

Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue for struggling schools; Lenwil Elementary School has the highest rate at 28.3%, far above the district average of 18.5%. In contrast, top schools like Drew and Kiroli Elementary (9.2% absenteeism) show that strong attendance correlates with high achievement. Some schools also show uneven grade-level performance—Kiroli’s 5th graders score 94% in English, while its 3rd graders score just 71%. Overall, the district is improving, with Woodlawn Elementary School rising from the 57th to the 79th percentile and Swayze Elementary School making a dramatic jump from the 16th to the 47th percentile in recent years.