Woodlawn High School

Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge, LA, is a large public high school serving 1,331 students in grades 9-12 as part of the East Baton Rouge Parish school district, which ranks in the bottom third of districts statewide.

Woodlawn faces significant challenges, most notably a chronic absenteeism rate of 39.4%—nearly double the state average and far higher than nearby high-performing schools like Dutchtown High School (12.2%) and Denham Springs High School (13.0%). This absenteeism crisis is likely the main driver of low academic performance; for example, only 20% of Woodlawn students were proficient in Algebra I, compared to 65% statewide and 89% at Dutchtown. However, there are bright spots: Woodlawn’s English II proficiency rate (58%) actually exceeded the district average, and the school has shown a positive trend in its graduation rate, rising from 74.1% to 77.8% over the past few years. Additionally, the school has achieved remarkable success with its homeless student population, moving from the bottom 8% of schools statewide to the top 52% in just two years.

Woodlawn’s performance is not an outlier within its district—other schools like Belaire High School and Broadmoor Senior High School face similar struggles. Yet the contrast with schools just a few miles away in neighboring districts is stark, highlighting significant disparities in educational outcomes. For parents, the key takeaway is that while Woodlawn has persistent challenges, targeted interventions—especially in English and for vulnerable student groups—offer a path forward, and addressing the absenteeism crisis would likely have the greatest impact on improving overall student success.