Middle Schools in Vermilion Parish

Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, is home to four middle schools serving grades 6-8, where a stark divide in academic performance and socioeconomic challenges creates a tale of two very different educational experiences for families in the area.

For parents seeking top-tier options, North Vermilion Middle School and Erath Middle School are the clear standouts, both ranking in the top 10% of all Louisiana middle schools. North Vermilion leads the parish with the highest Math (87%) and Social Studies (78%) proficiency rates, while Erath boasts the best English Language Arts (ELA) score at 93% and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (24.7%). In contrast, J.H. Williams Middle School is a significant outlier, ranking in the 24th percentile with a 1-star rating and proficiency rates that are roughly half of the top schools. Rene A. Rost Middle School sits in the middle, ranking in the 67th percentile, but its performance has been declining over the past three years, and it struggles with Social Studies.

A critical takeaway is that chronic absenteeism is a parish-wide problem, with all four schools exceeding the state average of 22.5%. J.H. Williams and Rene A. Rost have rates near 43%, nearly double the state average, which directly impacts learning. Additionally, Social Studies is a universal weakness across the district, with only the top two schools exceeding the state average. Interestingly, J.H. Williams has the smallest class sizes (13.8 students per teacher) but the worst outcomes, highlighting that factors like student engagement and socioeconomic challenges—reflected in its 81.55% free/reduced lunch rate—are more impactful than class size alone. The Vermilion Parish district overall earns a 4-star rating, but these middle schools show that families must carefully choose based on their child's needs.