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S. J. Welsh Middle School

Q: Is S. J. Welsh Middle School a good school?

S. J. Welsh Middle School ranks 80 th of 452 Louisiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

80^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 452 Louisiana Middle Schools

Better than 82% of Louisiana middle schools

Summary

S. J. Welsh Middle School in Lake Charles, LA, serves 1,011 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the Calcasieu Parish school district, which ranks in the top 30% of districts statewide.

This school stands out for its consistent high performance, earning a 4-star rating for six consecutive years. It excels particularly in 8th-grade Social Studies, where 84% of students are proficient—well above the district (73%) and state (61%) averages. This outperforms nearby high-achieving schools like W. W. Lewis Middle School (82%) and Moss Bluff Middle School (81%). The school also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (18.2%) among its top-performing peers, compared to Moss Bluff (22.0%) and LeBlanc Middle School (24.8%), suggesting a strong school culture. Notably, S. J. Welsh has shown remarkable effectiveness with its Hispanic students, ranking in the 95th percentile statewide in 2024-2025, and has steadily improved outcomes for economically disadvantaged students, moving from the 69th to the 81st percentile in recent years.

While the school is strong overall, there are a few areas to note. Seventh-grade English Language Arts proficiency (77%) slightly trails the district average (78%), a contrast to its strong 8th-grade ELA performance (86%). Additionally, 8th-grade math proficiency (68%), though above district (58%) and state (52%) averages, shows a dip compared to 6th-grade math (80%). A dramatic turnaround in dropout rates—from 3.9% in 2019-2020 to consistently below 1% since—indicates effective interventions. For context, S. J. Welsh significantly outperforms its closest neighbor, F. K. White Middle School, which ranks in the 53rd percentile, highlighting a notable difference in educational outcomes within the same community.

1,011

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,078

Per pupil spending ?

47.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1500 W McNeese
Lake Charles, LA 70605

(337) 217-4410

District: Calcasieu Parish

Students who attend S. J. Welsh Middle School usually attend:

High:

Alfred M. Barbe High School

Feeder schools for S. J. Welsh Middle School:

Elementary:	A. A. Nelson Elementary School
	Prien Lake Elementary School
	St. John Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.5%

African American:

30.4%

Asian:

7.0%

See top rated Louisiana middle schools

Compare S. J. Welsh Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 64th percentile in 2016 → 82nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Louisiana average (77% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 18% of Louisiana middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 18 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school77%

District avg68%

Louisiana avg62%

80^th of 452

Louisiana public middle schools ?

Top 18%▲ up 18 pts since 2016

From top 36% (2016) to top 18% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Louisiana Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 11Middle Schools in the Calcasieu Parish

31^st of 116Calcasieu Parish 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	81.7	80 of 452	82.3%	★★★★☆
2025	83.8	61 of 447	86.4%	★★★★☆
2024	76.1	105 of 449	76.6%	★★★★☆
2023	77.2	89 of 465	80.9%	★★★★☆
2022	73.8	110 of 460	76.1%	★★★★☆
2021	72.9	120 of 459	73.9%	★★★★☆
2019	67.9	149 of 449	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.9	143 of 411	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	64.5	157 of 437	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	66.9	157 of 435	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2015	65.1	165 of 482	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2014	73.8	112 of 470	76.2%	★★★★☆
2013	77.5	88 of 457	80.7%	★★★★☆
2012	72.5	115 of 442	74.0%	★★★★☆
2011	74.4	104 of 412	74.8%	★★★★☆
2010	65.3	158 of 408	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2009	69.1	138 of 425	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2008	75.5	91 of 413	78.0%	★★★★☆
2007	78.3	70 of 396	82.3%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	68.8	91 of 344	73.5%	★★★★☆
2025	75.2	65 of 344	81.1%	★★★★☆
2024	69.5	86 of 333	74.2%	★★★★☆
2023	69.7	76 of 360	78.9%	★★★★☆
2022	71.0	65 of 360	81.9%	★★★★☆
2021	72.8	60 of 352	83.0%	★★★★☆
2019	61.7	112 of 338	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.9	92 of 313	70.6%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	69.2	9 of 20	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.5	5 of 13	61.5%	★★★★☆
2024	77.1	3 of 12	75.0%	★★★★☆
2023	71.7	6 of 16	62.5%	★★★★☆
2022	67.9	6 of 14	57.1%	★★★★☆
2021	59.7	9 of 18	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	59.7	8 of 17	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.5	9 of 17	47.1%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2018	51.8	72 of 170	57.6%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2021	97.3	1 of 55	98.2%	★★★★★
2019	83.6	5 of 38	86.8%	★★★★☆
2018	67.2	4 of 26	84.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	77.2	93 of 434	78.6%	★★★★☆
2025	82.9	55 of 415	86.7%	★★★★☆
2024	79.4	76 of 415	81.7%	★★★★☆
2023	78.6	80 of 444	82.0%	★★★★☆
2022	73.0	116 of 441	73.7%	★★★★☆
2021	70.8	125 of 441	71.7%	★★★★☆
2019	61.0	175 of 418	58.1%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	80.9	28 of 178	84.3%	★★★★☆
2025	91.9	8 of 155	94.8%	★★★★★
2024	77.4	27 of 152	82.2%	★★★★☆
2023	74.9	26 of 163	84.0%	★★★★☆
2022	62.3	55 of 163	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.2	88 of 153	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	68.1	36 of 128	71.9%	★★★★☆
2018	62.0	44 of 118	62.7%	★★★☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2022	33.7	19 of 29	34.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	74.0	106 of 450	76.4%	★★★★☆
2025	77.3	83 of 437	81.0%	★★★★☆
2024	66.9	136 of 444	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	65.5	139 of 459	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.1	163 of 458	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.8	106 of 455	76.7%	★★★★☆
2019	58.1	178 of 430	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.4	159 of 403	60.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	81.2	76 of 435	82.5%	★★★★☆
2025	81.2	68 of 414	83.6%	★★★★☆
2024	70.3	119 of 426	72.1%	★★★★☆
2023	73.2	109 of 443	75.4%	★★★★☆
2022	71.5	117 of 442	73.5%	★★★★☆
2021	70.0	129 of 442	70.8%	★★★★☆
2019	67.0	135 of 418	67.7%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	44.4	42 of 75	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	63.7	11 of 41	73.2%	★★★★☆
2024	65.9	8 of 39	79.5%	★★★★☆
2023	70.9	17 of 63	73.0%	★★★★☆
2022	57.0	22 of 58	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.3	30 of 57	47.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.0	23 of 49	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	80.1	9 of 33	72.7%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	75.1	35 of 225	84.4%	★★★★☆
2025	70.6	32 of 168	81.0%	★★★★☆
2024	48.8	79 of 175	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.8	85 of 206	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.9	43 of 206	79.1%	★★★★☆
2021	54.4	75 of 210	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	59.8	57 of 202	71.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	81.2	48 of 338	85.8%	★★★★☆
2025	80.3	41 of 316	87.0%	★★★★☆
2024	69.4	88 of 320	72.5%	★★★★☆
2023	71.9	80 of 352	77.3%	★★★★☆
2022	68.4	110 of 362	69.6%	★★★★☆
2021	71.8	90 of 358	74.9%	★★★★☆
2019	61.8	137 of 350	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	67.7	105 of 338	68.9%	★★★☆☆

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 (2021)98th percentile+24 vs school

White (2026)86th percentile+3 vs school

Special Education (2026)84th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)84th percentile~ school

Male (2026)83rd percentile~ school

Female (2026)79th percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)76th percentile-6 vs school

African American (2026)74th percentile-9 vs school

Disabled (2018)58th percentile-8 vs school

Asian (2026)55th percentile-27 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)44th percentile-38 vs school

Homeless (2022)34th percentile-42 vs school

By subject vs Louisiana (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts80%+10 vs state

Mathematics76%+14 vs state

Social Studies74%+19 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a student
Thursday, October 25, 2018

HORRIBLE SCHOOL! SOME OF THE STAFF ARE VERY RUDE AND UNPROFESSIONAL AT TIMES! THIS SHOOL IS VERY OVERRATED! DONT SEND YOUR CHILD TO THIS SCHOOL! Close Quote

by a student
Thursday, April 14, 2011

The teacher's are excellent! They are great at what they do, help each individual student if they are struggling in that subject, and also make learning easier and sometimes even fun! There are many extracurricular activities and clubs for students to choose from. I love S.J. Welsh! Go Colts!!! Close Quote

Schools Near S. J. Welsh Middle 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 Mathematics (2026)				LEAP English Language Arts (2026)				LEAP Social Studies (2026)				LEAP Algebra I (2026)	LEAP English I (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	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 Mathematics 6th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 7th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 8th Grade	LEAP Mathematics All Grades	LEAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts All Grades	LEAP Social Studies 6th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 7th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 8th Grade	LEAP Social Studies All Grades	LEAP Algebra I End of Course	LEAP English I End of Course	Total
S. J. Welsh Middle School	Public	6-8	1500 W McNeese	Lake Charles	70605	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	No	(337) 217-4410	1,011	90	11.2	47.3%	511 (50.5%)	307 (30.4%)	71 (7.0%)	71 (7.0%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (4.5%)	81.7	80^th of 452 public middle schools	82.3%		83.8	61^st of 447 public middle schools	86.4%	19	80.0	78.0	68.0	76.0		77.0	86.0	80.0	70.0	68.0	84.0	74.0			$18,078
F. K. White Middle School	Public	6-8	1000 E McNeese	Lake Charles	70607	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4810	614	70	8.7	62.9%	164 (26.7%)	272 (44.3%)	128 (20.8%)	13 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (6.0%)	55.6	212^th of 452 public middle schools	53.1%		45.7	254^th of 447 public middle schools	43.2%	42	56.0	60.0	55.0	57.0	71.0	68.0	75.0	72.0	50.0	60.0	73.0	61.0		99.0	$18,332
Oak Park Middle School	Public	6-8	2200 Oak Park Blvd	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4830	388	42	9.1	83.0%	22 (5.7%)	332 (85.6%)	24 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	38.7	295^th of 452 public middle schools	34.7%		19.2	382^nd of 447 public middle schools	14.5%	87	55.0	58.0	30.0	48.0	64.0	75.0	55.0	65.0	56.0	56.0	39.0	51.0			$21,012
S. P. Arnett Middle School	Public	6-8	400 Sulphur Ave	Westlake	70669	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	No	(337) 217-4630	374	29	12.9	51.9%	276 (73.8%)	47 (12.6%)	30 (8.0%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.5%)	81.1	86^th of 452 public middle schools	81.0%		84	59^th of 447 public middle schools	86.8%	27	81.0	83.0		77.0	82.0	88.0	76.0	82.0	63.0	71.0	77.0	72.0			$15,108
Maplewood Middle School	Public	6-8	4401 Maplewood Dr	Sulphur	70663	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	No	(337) 217-4920	319	33	9.5	46.4%	231 (72.4%)	29 (9.1%)	29 (9.1%)	8 (2.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.6%)	84.3	64^th of 452 public middle schools	85.8%		74.8	118^th of 447 public middle schools	73.6%	54	82.0		58.0	77.0	87.0	89.0	82.0	86.0	71.0	77.0	86.0	79.0			$20,235
Ray D. Molo Middle Magnet School	Public	6-8	2300 Medora	Lake Charles	70601	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(318) 217-4710	265	30	8.9	90.6%	4 (1.5%)	249 (94.0%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	23.3	359^th of 452 public middle schools	20.6%		29.6	327^th of 447 public middle schools	26.8%	32	34.0	55.0	22.0	37.0	62.0	69.0	54.0	62.0	25.0	47.0	38.0	37.0		69.0	$23,235
W. W. Lewis Middle School	Public	6-8	1752 Cypress	Sulphur	70663	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	No	(337) 217-4700	757	62	12.2	44.9%	563 (74.4%)	58 (7.7%)	82 (10.8%)	12 (1.6%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	37 (4.9%)	84.7	63^rd of 452 public middle schools	86.1%		81.3	80^th of 447 public middle schools	82.1%	17	87.0	80.0	66.0	79.0	84.0	85.0	84.0	84.0	76.0	71.0	82.0	75.0	99.0		$16,701
Moss Bluff Middle School	Public	6-8	1104 Recreation Blvd	Lake Charles	70611	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	No	(337) 217-4570	781	62	12.6	39.6%	617 (79.0%)	91 (11.7%)	38 (4.9%)	6 (0.8%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	25 (3.2%)	85.3	61^st of 452 public middle schools	86.5%		77.9	101^st of 447 public middle schools	77.4%	40	92.0	85.0	66.0	82.0	86.0	81.0	78.0	82.0	79.0	78.0	81.0	79.0			$15,145
LeBlanc Middle School	Public	6-8	1100 N Crocker	Sulphur	70663	Calcasieu Parish	Calcasieu Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(337) 217-4510	366	32	11.3	59.8%	277 (75.7%)	42 (11.5%)	27 (7.4%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.6%)	60.7	184^th of 452 public middle schools	59.3%		51.2	228^th of 447 public middle schools	49.0%	44	70.0	75.0	50.0	66.0	70.0	70.0	69.0	71.0	66.0	57.0	65.0	63.0			$18,096

Frequently Asked Questions about S. J. Welsh Middle School

What high school do graduates of S. J. Welsh Middle School attend?

Students who attend S. J. Welsh Middle School usually go on to attend Alfred M. Barbe High School

How many students attend S. J. Welsh Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,011 students attended S. J. Welsh Middle School.

Is S. J. Welsh Middle School a good school?

S. J. Welsh Middle School ranks 80^th of 452 Louisiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is S. J. Welsh Middle School in?

Calcasieu Parish

What is the racial makeup of S. J. Welsh Middle School?

Students at S. J. Welsh Middle School are 51% White, 30% African American, 7% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

Rate S. J. Welsh Middle School!

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Schools in Lake Charles, LA

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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.