Summary:
Red River Parish is home to a single elementary school, Red River Elementary School, which serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade in a rural Louisiana community where over 90% of its 568 students face economic disadvantage. This school is the sole academic driver for the Red River Parish school district, which holds a 1-star rating and ranks 85th out of 116 districts statewide. Despite the challenges of high poverty, the school has shown it can achieve strong results, though recent data reveals a volatile performance pattern that parents should understand.
In the 2024-2025 school year, Red River Elementary significantly outperformed its district average in both Mathematics (71% vs. 53%) and English Language Arts (72% vs. 60%), earning a 3-star state ranking. However, the very next year (2025-2026) saw a sharp decline, with proficiency dropping to 65% in Math and 63% in ELA, causing the school to fall to a 2-star ranking and slip below the state average in ELA. This dramatic 8-9 point drop year-over-year is a major red flag, suggesting possible issues like curriculum changes or teacher turnover that parents may want to investigate further. Social Studies remains a persistent weakness, with only 40% of students proficient compared to the state average of 55%, and 3rd grade appears to be a particular challenge, especially in ELA (57% vs. 64% state) and Social Studies (33% vs. 49% state).
On a positive note, the school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.8:1 and has a chronic absenteeism rate of 17.0%, which is lower than the state average of 22.5%. The school’s ability to achieve proficiency rates at or above state averages in core subjects during the 2024-2025 year, despite high poverty, points to effective teaching and support systems. The key takeaway for parents is that Red River Elementary has demonstrated both strong potential and recent instability, making it essential to monitor upcoming performance data closely and ask the school about the factors behind the 2025-2026 decline.
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