Summary:
The two public high schools in the West Baton Rouge Parish school district, Brusly High School and Port Allen High School, serve grades 9-12 and present a stark contrast in academic performance and student demographics, despite being part of the same district.
Brusly High School is the standout performer, ranking in the top 24% of Louisiana high schools (76th out of 325) and earning a 4-star rating. It consistently exceeds state averages in all core subjects, with particularly strong proficiency in Geometry (80%) and English II (77%). The school boasts a high 91.5% graduation rate and a very low 1.0% dropout rate. In contrast, Port Allen High School ranks in the bottom half of the state (189th out of 325) and has a 2-star rating. It struggles academically, scoring below state averages in most subjects except for a notable 75% proficiency in Algebra I, which is well above the state average of 65%. Port Allen also faces significant challenges with a high 83.41% free/reduced lunch rate and a 19.9% chronic absenteeism rate, both much higher than Brusly's figures.
Key metrics highlight the divide: Brusly's average proficiency across five core subjects is 70.8%, compared to Port Allen's 56.5%. Interestingly, Port Allen has a lower student-to-teacher ratio (9.7:1) than Brusly (12.8:1), yet its performance is lower, suggesting that socioeconomic and attendance challenges outweigh the potential benefits of smaller classes. Brusly is on a clear upward trajectory, improving its state rank from the 66th to the 77th percentile over three years, while Port Allen's rank has remained stagnant. For parents, Brusly offers a high-performing, stable environment, while Port Allen requires more support but shows a unique strength in Algebra I.
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