Magnolia School of Excellence

Magnolia School of Excellence in Shreveport, LA, is a large alternative school within the Caddo Parish district, serving 1,430 students in grades K-12 with a very high poverty rate of nearly 86% free/reduced lunch. The school stands out for its extreme student-to-teacher ratio of 725.8:1, which suggests a heavy reliance on online or independent study models, and it has seen a dramatic shift in operations since 2022, including a spike in chronic absenteeism to 43.2%—nearly double the district average of 31.0%.

Despite these challenges, Magnolia excels as a dropout prevention hub, boasting a low dropout rate of just 2.0% in 2023-2024, compared to 4.1% for the district and a staggering 10.0% at the nearby Academic Recovery Ombudsman. Its graduation rate of 81.4% is competitive with the district average of 82.6%, and it significantly outperforms the Ombudsman’s 23.8% rate. However, academic proficiency is a major concern, with only 42% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 23% in 3rd-grade math, far below the district and state averages. In contrast, Doyline High School in the Webster Parish district, a smaller alternative school with a traditional 15.3:1 ratio, achieves higher test scores (e.g., 46% math proficiency) but has a higher dropout rate of 6.0%.

Overall, Magnolia functions as a graduation factory for at-risk students, prioritizing retention and diploma completion over academic rigor. Its primary value lies in keeping students enrolled who might otherwise leave the system, but parents should be aware that the school struggles with attendance, individualized instruction, and meeting state proficiency standards. This makes it a safety net for students needing credit recovery, rather than a center for academic excellence.