Red River Parish

The Red River Parish school district in Louisiana serves 1,243 students across five schools, including one elementary, two middle schools, one high school, and one alternative school, and is ranked 85th out of 116 parishes with a 1-star rating, reflecting significant challenges in a community where economic disadvantage is extremely high, with 85% to 100% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Red River Elementary School stands out as the district's strongest performer, achieving a 3-star ranking and being the only school to score at or above state averages in math (65% proficiency vs. state 62%) and English (63% vs. state 70%), despite a 90% poverty rate. In contrast, Red River High School presents a paradox: it has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (26.7%) and a 1-star ranking, yet boasts a strong 91.5% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate, suggesting effective credit recovery and persistence strategies. Red River Academic Academy is notable for the lowest chronic absenteeism (5.1%) despite serving a 100% economically disadvantaged population, while Ware Youth Center, an alternative school, has the lowest academic scores and a high 19.2% dropout rate. Red River Junior High School falls in the middle, with math proficiency at 49% and chronic absenteeism at 14.5%.

Key takeaways for parents include that the elementary school is a beacon of hope with improving performance, while the high school excels at graduating students even if academic proficiency is low. Chronic absenteeism varies widely across schools, not solely tied to poverty, indicating different school climates. A district-wide weakness is social studies, where all schools score well below the state average of 55%, with the elementary school highest at just 40%. Overall, the district's favorable student-teacher ratios (8.4:1 to 12.1:1) and below-average chronic absenteeism (16.9% vs. state 22.5%) offer some positives, but academic challenges remain significant.