Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary School

Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary School in Jonesboro, LA, is a public school serving 291 students in grades PK-5 within the Jackson Parish school district, where 89% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the bottom 10-12% of Louisiana elementary schools over the past decade, with recent data placing it at the 9th percentile statewide.

Compared to nearby Goldonna Elementary & Junior High School in the Natchitoches Parish district, Jonesboro-Hodge shows a mixed picture. While both schools serve high-poverty populations, Goldonna outperforms Jonesboro-Hodge in core subjects—achieving 48% proficiency in Math and 54% in ELA versus Jonesboro-Hodge's 37% and 43% in the 2024-2025 school year. However, Jonesboro-Hodge has a significantly lower chronic absenteeism rate of 18.4%, compared to Goldonna's 42.6%, suggesting the school is more successful at getting students to class regularly. The student-teacher ratio is 12.1:1, which is reasonable but higher than Goldonna's 9:1.

There are some bright spots and areas for concern. Fourth graders showed notable improvement in 2025-2026, achieving 60% proficiency in Math and 53% in ELA, close to state averages. However, Social Studies remains a critical weakness, with only 30% of students proficient statewide. The school's performance in Math and ELA has been inconsistent over the past four years, with no clear upward trend. This suggests that while attendance is improving, the quality of instruction needs significant enhancement to translate into better academic outcomes for all students.