High Schools in St. Mary Parish

The five public high schools in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, serve grades 9 through 12 and present a diverse academic landscape, ranging from a clear standout to schools facing significant challenges, making it essential for parents to understand each school's unique strengths and weaknesses.

Berwick High School is the district's clear academic leader, consistently earning the highest state rankings and achieving proficiency rates above both district and state averages in Geometry, English, and Biology. In contrast, Patterson High School is the most improved school, showing a dramatic 20-percentile-point jump in its state ranking and posting top district scores in English II and Biology. However, Morgan City High School is on a downward trajectory, with proficiency rates falling below district averages in most subjects and a graduation rate that is the only one in the district below the state average. The two lowest-performing schools, Franklin Senior High School and West St. Mary High School, face the most significant hurdles, including the highest rates of economic disadvantage and the lowest academic proficiency rates across nearly all subjects.

A key takeaway is the "chronic absenteeism paradox," where Patterson High School has the highest absenteeism rate yet strong academic gains, while West St. Mary High School has the lowest absenteeism but the lowest academic rank. Additionally, U.S. History is a universal weak point across the entire district, with no school meeting the state average proficiency rate, indicating a systemic instructional issue that parents should be aware of when considering curriculum support.