Summary:
The three public middle schools serving grades 6-8 in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, show a clear hierarchy in academic performance, with N.P. Trist Middle School leading the district in state ranking and overall test scores, while Andrew Jackson Middle School trails behind.
N.P. Trist Middle School stands out as the top performer, ranking 165th in the state with the highest proficiency rates in English Language Arts (74%) and Social Studies (62%). It also boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (22.7%) and the lowest percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch (57.5%). In contrast, Andrew Jackson Middle School is the lowest-ranked school (239th) with the highest chronic absenteeism (27.8%) and the lowest math proficiency (55%). St. Bernard Middle School is a strong contender, ranking 183rd and achieving the highest math proficiency in the district for 8th grade (65%), despite having the highest chronic absenteeism rate (29.0%) and the smallest student-teacher ratio (12.5:1). Interestingly, N.P. Trist has the largest class sizes (16.4:1) but still outperforms its peers, suggesting that factors like school culture and instructional quality may be more impactful than class size alone.
All three schools outperform the state average in key areas, including dropout rates (all below 1.0% compared to the state's 3.1%) and social studies proficiency. However, chronic absenteeism is a parish-wide challenge, with all schools at or above the state average of 22.5%. Grade-level performance varies significantly, with N.P. Trist showing a sharp decline in math from 7th to 8th grade, while St. Bernard demonstrates more consistent math scores. For parents, N.P. Trist offers the strongest overall academic environment, while St. Bernard provides a more personalized setting with smaller classes and strong math outcomes.
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