Evangeline Reimagine Academy

Evangeline Reimagine Academy is a middle school in Ville Platte, LA, serving 175 students in grades 6-8 within the Evangeline Parish school district, where the vast majority of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

This school faces significant academic challenges, with test scores that are far below both district and state averages. For example, only 33% of students are proficient in math, compared to 61% in the district, and just 37% are proficient in English Language Arts, versus 70% district-wide. This underperformance is more severe than at nearby schools like Mamou Junior High, which outperforms the district in ELA and social studies. A particularly troubling trend is the sharp decline in student achievement as they move through the grades: while 53% of 6th graders are proficient in ELA, that number drops to just 26% by 8th grade. This pattern is not seen at other local schools, suggesting that the school may struggle to build on the skills students bring with them.

The most urgent issue facing the school is a dramatic rise in chronic absenteeism, which has jumped to 35.3%—the highest rate among all comparison schools and a significant increase from the previous year. This rate is 10 points higher than the district average and nearly 13 points above the state average. When students miss school this often, it directly impacts their ability to learn and keep up with their peers. While the school shows a small bright spot in 6th-grade English, the combination of low test scores, a steep academic decline in later grades, and a growing absenteeism crisis are critical concerns for any parent considering this school.