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Rankings updated: Louisiana rankings were updated on September 12, 2026 with the addition of grade 3-8 science and High School Civics test scores

Walter L. Cohen High School

Public, Charter Grades 9-12

259^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 329 Louisiana High Schools

Better than 21% of Louisiana high schools

Summary

Walter L. Cohen High School in New Orleans, LA, is a public high school serving 413 students in grades 9-12, operating as its own single-school district, Walter L. Cohen High School, in a predominantly low-income area where 77.7% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

While the school has faced significant challenges, including a chronic absenteeism rate of 53.6% (more than double the state average) and a declining graduation rate that dropped from 85.6% in 2022 to 68.3% in 2025, there are notable bright spots. The school has an exceptionally low student-to-teacher ratio of 10.3:1, far smaller than nearby schools like Warren Easton Charter High School (17.5:1) or West Jefferson High School (18.6:1), which suggests potential for individualized attention. Most impressively, Cohen ranked in the 74th percentile for English Language Learners (ELL) in the 2025-2026 school year, earning a 4-star rating—a dramatic improvement from previous years and a stark contrast to its overall low performance. Additionally, recent test scores show promising upward trends, with Algebra I proficiency rising from 41% to 51% and English II from 32% to 56%.

For parents considering this school, it is important to understand that Cohen's performance is a mixed picture. The school struggles with overall academic rankings, consistently in the bottom 22% of Louisiana high schools, but it excels in serving specific student groups. Nearby Eleanor McMain Secondary School, just 1.35 miles away, serves a similar demographic but achieves dramatically better results, including a 91.9% graduation rate and test scores meeting state averages, showing that high poverty does not have to dictate low outcomes. Cohen's small class sizes and recent academic improvements offer hope, but the school must address its absenteeism crisis to fully leverage these advantages and reverse its declining graduation trend.

413

Students ?

10.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,647

Per pupil spending ?

77.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3575 Baronne St.
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 503-1400

District: Walter L. Cohen High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

60.8%

Hispanic:

34.1%

White:

3.6%

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Compare Walter L. Cohen High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 22nd percentile in 2022 → 21st in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Louisiana average (43% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (21st percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Louisiana average (68% vs 85%)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school43%

Louisiana avg62%

259^th of 329

Louisiana public high schools ?

Bottom 21%▼ down 1 pts since 2022

See the entire ranking list of Louisiana High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

97^th of 119Walter L. Cohen High School among Louisiana districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	21.6	259 of 329	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	12.4	286 of 329	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	9.7	296 of 333	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.9	220 of 321	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.2	253 of 326	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	42.4	143 of 261	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.9	152 of 256	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.6	152 of 260	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.3	103 of 252	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.3	117 of 256	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.9	165 of 243	32.1%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	61.3	16 of 62	74.2%	★★★★☆
2025	28.8	47 of 59	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.9	44 of 50	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	89.3	2 of 34	94.1%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	31.5	224 of 312	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.4	273 of 308	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	8.5	282 of 308	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	36.5	210 of 308	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	22.1	249 of 311	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.3	244 of 288	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	18.3	111 of 128	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	7.6	114 of 120	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	3.8	110 of 113	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	37.0	73 of 107	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	4.4	102 of 103	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.1	83 of 92	9.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	51.6	12 of 25	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	32.2	15 of 22	31.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	27.8	234 of 324	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.0	282 of 323	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.9	287 of 328	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	42.0	193 of 321	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.0	225 of 322	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	19.4	236 of 285	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	15.2	269 of 315	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	13.6	269 of 313	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.2	271 of 315	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.9	206 of 306	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.5	229 of 301	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.1	244 of 292	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	35.9	116 of 182	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	33.4	114 of 170	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.8	94 of 165	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	21.1	113 of 138	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.8	108 of 139	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.4	106 of 135	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2026)74th percentile+53 vs school

Homeless (2026)52nd percentile+31 vs school

African American (2026)45th percentile+24 vs school

Special Education (2026)36th percentile+15 vs school

Female (2026)28th percentile+7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)28th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)15th percentile-7 vs school

Hispanic (2026)13th percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Louisiana (2025-2026) ?

English II56%-11 vs state

Algebra I51%-14 vs state

Civics45%-17 vs state

English I42%-24 vs state

Geometry38%-19 vs state

U.S. History38%-17 vs state

Biology33%-27 vs state

★

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Schools Near Walter L. Cohen High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				LEAP Algebra I (2026)	LEAP Geometry (2026)	LEAP English II (2026)	LEAP U.S. History (2026)	LEAP English I (2026)	LEAP Biology (2026)	LEAP Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	LEAP Algebra I End of Course	LEAP Geometry End of Course	LEAP English II End of Course	LEAP U.S. History End of Course	LEAP English I End of Course	LEAP Biology End of Course	LEAP Civics End of Course	Total
Walter L. Cohen High School	Public, Charter	9-12	3575 Baronne St.	New Orleans	70115	Orleans Parish	Walter L. Cohen High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 503-1400	413	40	10.3	77.7%	15 (3.6%)	251 (60.8%)	141 (34.1%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	21.6	259^th of 329 public high schools	21.3%		12.4	286^th of 329 public high schools	13.1%	27	51.0	38.0	56.0	38.0	42.0	33.0	45.0	$22,647
Sophie B. Wright Institute of Academic Excellence	Public, Charter	6-12	1426 Napoleon Avenue	New Orleans	70115	Orleans Parish	Sophie B Wright Institute of Academic Excellence	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 304-3916	534	29	18.4	86.3%	1 (0.2%)	499 (93.4%)	29 (5.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)								(n/a)
The NET Charter High School	Public, Charter	8-12	1614 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd	New Orleans	70113	Orleans Parish	The NET Charter High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 267-9060	213	7	31.6	77.0%	12 (5.6%)	174 (81.7%)	20 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)								(n/a)
Opportunities Academy	Public, Charter	12	2625 Thalia St.	New Orleans	70113	Orleans Parish	Opportunities Academy	Yes	No	No	(n/a)	(504) 503-1421	93	11	8.4	98.9%	3 (3.2%)	82 (88.2%)	5 (5.4%)	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)								(n/a)								$62,471
Eleanor McMain Secondary School	Public, Charter	9-12	5712 South Claiborne Avenue	New Orleans	70125	Orleans Parish	Eleanor McMain Secondary School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 324-7500	690	48	14.2	83.3%	8 (1.2%)	632 (91.6%)	33 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.3%)	54.7	156^th of 329 public high schools	52.6%		55.3	151^st of 329 public high schools	54.1%	5	67.0	57.0	69.0	51.0	70.0	61.0	65.0	$19,411
Booker T. Washington High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1201 South Roman St.	New Orleans	70125	Orleans Parish	KIPP Booker T. Washington	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 410-5289	532	36	14.7	86.8%	6 (1.1%)	487 (91.5%)	33 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)								(n/a)
Jcfa	Public, Charter	9-12	475 Manhattan Blvd	Harvey	70058	Jefferson Parish	Jefferson Parish	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 410-3121	127	11	11.6	80.3%	20 (15.7%)	72 (56.7%)	31 (24.4%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	17	272^nd of 329 public high schools	17.3%		28.1	235^th of 329 public high schools	28.6%	37	39.0		50–55%	42.0		34.0	36.0	$27,810
West Jefferson High School	Public	9-12	2200 Eighth Street	Harvey	70058	Jefferson Parish	Jefferson Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(504) 368-6055	1,438	77	18.6	62.9%	96 (6.7%)	592 (41.2%)	689 (47.9%)	27 (1.9%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (2.2%)	22.6	251^st of 329 public high schools	23.7%		26.4	245^th of 329 public high schools	25.5%	6	38.0	31.0	38.0	60.0	27.0	45.0	49.0	$13,027
New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School	Public, Charter	9-12	2011 Bienville St.	New Orleans	70112	Orleans Parish	New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 324-7061	627	45	13.9	69.5%	21 (3.3%)	377 (60.1%)	192 (30.6%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.3%)	31.4	227^th of 329 public high schools	31.0%		33.4	222^nd of 329 public high schools	32.5%	5	43.0	37.0	57.0	52.0	53.0	45.0	57.0	$17,319
Warren Easton Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	3019 Canal Street	New Orleans	70119	Orleans Parish	Warren Easton Charter Foundation Inc.	Yes	No	No	Yes	(504) 324-7400	1,138	65	17.5	74.8%	2 (0.2%)	1,089 (95.7%)	44 (3.9%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	30.2	232^nd of 329 public high schools	29.5%		41.8	194^th of 329 public high schools	41.0%	38	35.0	23–33%	51.0	26.0	60.0	41.0	76.0	$16,158

Frequently Asked Questions about Walter L. Cohen High School

What district is Walter L. Cohen High School in?

Walter L. Cohen High School

How many students attend Walter L. Cohen High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 413 students attended Walter L. Cohen High School.

What is the racial makeup of Walter L. Cohen High School?

Students at Walter L. Cohen High School are 61% African American, 34% Hispanic, 4% White.

Is Walter L. Cohen High School a good school?

Walter L. Cohen High School ranks in the bottom 21.3% of Louisiana high schools.

Rate Walter L. Cohen High School!

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Latest Louisiana data All new data »

2025–26 LEAP test scoresJul 6, 2026

2023–24 dropout ratesFeb 24, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataDec 1, 2025

2023–24 through 2024–25 graduation ratesNov 22, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Louisiana Dept of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.