Singer High School

Singer High School in Singer, LA, is a small, alternative public school serving 346 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in the rural Beauregard Parish district, where 62.4% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Singer High School stands out for its exceptional math performance, particularly in advanced courses. On end-of-course exams, the school achieved a 77% proficiency rate in Algebra I and 76% in Geometry, dramatically outperforming nearby Merryville High School, which scored 37% and 60% respectively. This strength extends to lower grades, with 7th-grade math at 67%—above both district and state averages. However, social studies is a consistent weakness, with an all-grades proficiency rate of 45%, well below the district and state averages of 55%. The school also maintains a lower chronic absenteeism rate (22.8%) compared to Merryville (28.5%), and a very low dropout rate that was 0.0% in 2021-2022, indicating strong student engagement despite economic challenges.

A key concern is the volatility in Singer’s graduation rate, which dropped from 93.9% in 2018-2019 to 76.2% during the pandemic, and has since recovered to only 83.3%—below Merryville’s stable 90.2%. The school’s small class sizes, with a student-teacher ratio of 11.4:1, likely contribute to its success in challenging subjects and low dropout rates. While the "alternative" label might suggest a remedial environment, Singer’s strong performance in math and English shows it can foster high achievement in a specialized, intimate setting, though the graduation rate instability remains a point for parents to consider.