Summary:
The St. Helena Parish school district in Louisiana is home to two elementary schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 6th grade in a small, rural, and high-poverty area. St. Helena Arts and Technology Academy (grades 3-6) and St. Helena Early Learning Center (grades PK-2) together form the foundation of the district's education, with the Early Learning Center focusing on early childhood development and the Arts and Technology Academy handling academic accountability for upper elementary grades.
Both schools serve an extremely high-need population, with nearly 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. St. Helena Early Learning Center has a 100% free/reduced lunch rate, while St. Helena Arts and Technology Academy is at 99.66%. Despite these challenges, both schools outperform the district average in chronic absenteeism, with rates of 23.7% and 26.9% respectively, compared to the district's 33.2%. Student-teacher ratios are also favorable, at 14.2:1 for the Early Learning Center and 13.7:1 for the Arts and Technology Academy, indicating relatively small class sizes.
Academically, St. Helena Arts and Technology Academy shows a mixed picture. While its state ranking is low (6th percentile), it has shown a slight upward trend over three years. A notable bright spot is a significant 9-percentage-point improvement in math proficiency, rising from 27% to 36% between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. However, social studies remains a critical weakness at 30% proficiency, with 3rd and 6th graders scoring particularly low. English Language Arts proficiency is the strongest subject at 42%, though still well below the state average of 70%. The data suggests that while small class sizes and improving math scores are positive signs, the schools face significant hurdles related to concentrated poverty that impact overall performance.
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