Franklin Parish High School

Franklin Parish High School in Winnsboro, LA, serves 706 students in grades 9 through 12 and is part of the Franklin Parish district, which ranks in the bottom 16% of districts statewide. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of Louisiana high schools over the past decade, currently sitting at the 13th percentile, with 71% of students coming from low socio-economic backgrounds.

When compared to nearby Mangham High School in the Richland Parish district, the differences are stark. FPHS significantly underperforms in academic achievement, with only 23% of students proficient in Algebra I versus Mangham's 55%, and 28% proficient in Geometry versus 43%. The school also struggles with a severe chronic absenteeism rate of 36.5%, more than double Mangham's 17.5% and well above the state average of 22.5%. Interestingly, FPHS has a much lower student-teacher ratio of 12.5:1 compared to Mangham's 19.2:1, suggesting smaller class sizes that are not translating into better academic outcomes.

Despite these challenges, FPHS boasts a strong and improving graduation rate of 93.8%, well above the state average of 85.0%, indicating the school is effective at keeping students on track to earn a diploma. However, the school's overall rank has declined from the 25th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 13th percentile in 2025-2026, and it struggles to support its most vulnerable students, with Special Education students ranking in the 1st percentile statewide. The comparison to Mangham, which has a lower poverty rate but far better results, suggests that FPHS's issues are likely rooted in school-specific practices and culture rather than socio-economic factors alone.