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Harry M. Hurst Middle School

Q: Is Harry M. Hurst Middle School a good school?

Harry M. Hurst Middle School ranks 93 rd of 452 Louisiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

93^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 452 Louisiana Middle Schools

Better than 79% of Louisiana middle schools

Summary

Harry M. Hurst Middle School in Destrehan, LA, serves 685 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the high-performing St. Charles Parish district, which ranks in the top 11% of districts statewide. This school stands out for its exceptional academic performance, particularly in mathematics, where 84% of students were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year—22 percentage points above the state average. With a remarkably low student-to-teacher ratio of 10.8:1, Hurst provides personalized instruction that helps it consistently earn a 4-star rating from Schooldigger and rank among the top 100 middle schools in Louisiana.

What truly sets Hurst apart from nearby schools is its outstanding student engagement and support. The school boasts an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of just 5.7%, far below the state average of 22.5% and even lower than its district average of 7.7%. This is a powerful indicator of a positive school culture where students feel motivated to attend daily. In comparison, neighboring schools in the Jefferson Parish district, such as J.D. Meisler Middle School and T.H. Harris Middle School, struggle with chronic absenteeism rates between 18% and 25%. Hurst also excels in serving its Hispanic students, who ranked in the 94th percentile statewide—a testament to effective instructional strategies that benefit all learners.

While Hurst remains a top-tier school, it has experienced a slight decline in its overall state ranking over the past decade, from 41st in 2016 to 93rd in 2026. This trend is most noticeable in the performance of White students and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, suggesting the school may face new challenges in maintaining equity across all student groups. Additionally, an "8th-grade dip" in test scores—where proficiency drops from 87% in 6th-grade math to 74% in 8th-grade—is worth noting. However, the school's extraordinary performance in advanced courses, such as 99% proficiency in Algebra I, shows it effectively prepares top students for high school. For parents seeking a school with strong academics, low absenteeism, and a supportive environment, Harry M. Hurst Middle School is a standout choice in the region.

685

Students ?

10.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,076

Per pupil spending ?

41.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

170 Road Runner Lane
Destrehan, LA 70047

(985) 764-6367

District: St. Charles Parish

Students who attend Harry M. Hurst Middle School usually attend:

High:

Destrehan High School

Feeder schools for Harry M. Hurst Middle School:

Elementary:	Ethel Schoeffner Elementary School
	New Sarpy Elementary School
	Norco Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.1%

African American:

21.0%

Hispanic:

12.8%

See top rated Louisiana middle schools

Compare Harry M. Hurst Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2016 → 79th in 2026

Strengths

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

✓Ranks in the top 21% of Louisiana middle schools

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 12 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school77%

District avg75%

Louisiana avg62%

93^rd of 452

Louisiana public middle schools ?

Top 21%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 9% (2016) to top 21% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Louisiana Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 4Middle Schools in the St. Charles Parish

12^th of 116St. Charles 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	80.2	93 of 452	79.4%	★★★★☆
2025	81.2	81 of 447	81.9%	★★★★☆
2024	81.4	71 of 449	84.2%	★★★★☆
2023	86.1	50 of 465	89.2%	★★★★☆
2022	85.0	50 of 460	89.1%	★★★★☆
2021	85.7	51 of 459	88.9%	★★★★☆
2019	84.1	54 of 449	88.0%	★★★★☆
2018	79.5	49 of 411	88.1%	★★★★☆
2017	79.5	76 of 437	82.6%	★★★★☆
2016	86.4	41 of 435	90.6%	★★★★★
2015	85.0	52 of 482	89.2%	★★★★☆
2014	82.7	59 of 470	87.4%	★★★★☆
2013	82.4	53 of 457	88.4%	★★★★☆
2012	81.1	55 of 442	87.6%	★★★★☆
2011	80.8	54 of 412	86.9%	★★★★☆
2010	74.4	98 of 408	76.0%	★★★★☆
2009	75.2	93 of 425	78.1%	★★★★☆
2008	77.9	77 of 413	81.4%	★★★★☆
2007	78.7	68 of 396	82.8%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	77.2	61 of 344	82.3%	★★★★☆
2025	67.8	94 of 344	72.7%	★★★★☆
2024	77.1	54 of 333	83.8%	★★★★☆
2023	83.5	36 of 360	90.0%	★★★★★
2022	80.9	43 of 360	88.1%	★★★★☆
2021	79.8	42 of 352	88.1%	★★★★☆
2019	78.5	58 of 338	82.8%	★★★★☆
2018	81.1	38 of 313	87.9%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2018	78.2	16 of 170	90.6%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	82.6	68 of 434	84.3%	★★★★☆
2025	83.0	50 of 415	88.0%	★★★★☆
2024	81.2	63 of 415	84.8%	★★★★☆
2023	84.8	49 of 444	89.0%	★★★★☆
2022	87.4	34 of 441	92.3%	★★★★★
2021	84.6	48 of 441	89.1%	★★★★☆
2019	87.0	35 of 418	91.6%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	76.3	33 of 178	81.5%	★★★★☆
2025	89.9	10 of 155	93.5%	★★★★★
2024	77.4	28 of 152	81.6%	★★★★☆
2023	84.6	12 of 163	92.6%	★★★★★
2022	82.3	20 of 163	87.7%	★★★★☆
2021	76.9	26 of 153	83.0%	★★★★☆
2019	88.1	7 of 128	94.5%	★★★★★
2018	86.6	13 of 118	89.0%	★★★★☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2022	92.8	3 of 29	89.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	66.1	142 of 450	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	71.3	116 of 437	73.5%	★★★★☆
2024	74.3	95 of 444	78.6%	★★★★☆
2023	80.8	65 of 459	85.8%	★★★★☆
2022	84.3	47 of 458	89.7%	★★★★☆
2021	77.5	78 of 455	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	79.6	73 of 430	83.0%	★★★★☆
2018	83.9	39 of 403	90.3%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	76.2	99 of 435	77.2%	★★★★☆
2025	76.1	97 of 414	76.6%	★★★★☆
2024	79.2	77 of 426	81.9%	★★★★☆
2023	83.1	54 of 443	87.8%	★★★★☆
2022	80.9	61 of 442	86.2%	★★★★☆
2021	83.4	61 of 442	86.2%	★★★★☆
2019	79.5	79 of 418	81.1%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2021	90.9	3 of 25	88.0%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	70.2	18 of 75	76.0%	★★★★☆
2025	54.9	17 of 41	58.5%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	54.1	92 of 225	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.8	80 of 168	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.9	52 of 175	70.3%	★★★★☆
2023	67.9	43 of 206	79.1%	★★★★☆
2022	75.6	28 of 206	86.4%	★★★★☆
2021	70.8	41 of 210	80.5%	★★★★☆
2019	79.0	19 of 202	90.6%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	70.2	99 of 338	70.7%	★★★★☆
2025	70.3	86 of 316	72.8%	★★★★☆
2024	75.0	64 of 320	80.0%	★★★★☆
2023	77.7	59 of 352	83.2%	★★★★☆
2022	81.2	43 of 362	88.1%	★★★★☆
2021	83.1	41 of 358	88.5%	★★★★☆
2019	82.6	38 of 350	89.1%	★★★★☆
2018	88.5	23 of 338	93.2%	★★★★★

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)

Disabled (2018)91st percentile+3 vs school

Homeless (2022)90th percentile~ school

Military Connected (2021)88th percentile~ school

Female (2026)84th percentile+5 vs school

African American (2026)82nd percentile+3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)81st percentile~ school

Male (2026)77th percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2026)76th percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)71st percentile-9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)68th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2026)59th percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs Louisiana (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics84%+22 vs state

English Language Arts76%+6 vs state

Social Studies72%+17 vs state

1.0

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Tuesday, September 11, 2018

This school is very, very bad. I have never seen such a noisy, messy, uneducated school before. In fact, the sixth-grade students at another school would beat Hurst’s eighth grader's scores by at least 10 points Close Quote

Schools Near Harry M. Hurst 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 3rd Grade	LEAP Mathematics 4th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 5th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 6th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 7th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 8th Grade	LEAP Mathematics All Grades	LEAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	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 3rd Grade	LEAP Social Studies 4th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 5th Grade	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
Harry M. Hurst Middle School	Public	6-8	170 Road Runner Lane	Destrehan	70047	St. Charles Parish	St. Charles Parish	No	No	No	No	(985) 764-6367	685	63	10.8	41.3%	405 (59.1%)	144 (21.0%)	88 (12.8%)	14 (2.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.5%)	80.2	93^rd of 452 public middle schools	79.4%		81.2	81^st of 447 public middle schools	81.9%	12				87.0	86.0	74.0	84.0				81.0	79.0	71.0	76.0				67.0	72.0	75.0	72.0			$22,076
R.K. Smith Middle School	Public	6-8	281 Judge Edward Dufresne Park	Luling	70070	St. Charles Parish	St. Charles Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(985) 331-1018	303	37	8.2	68.0%	63 (20.8%)	191 (63.0%)	41 (13.5%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	62.3	176^th of 452 public middle schools	61.1%		62.6	171^st of 447 public middle schools	61.7%	5				84.0	75.0	63.0	76.0				69.0	67.0		72.0				50.0	47.0	79.0	58.0			$29,599
Albert Cammon Middle School	Public	6-8	234 Pirate Drive	Saint Rose	70087	St. Charles Parish	St. Charles Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(504) 467-4536	282	35	7.9	66.7%	66 (23.4%)	130 (46.1%)	68 (24.1%)	13 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	69.9	140^th of 452 public middle schools	69.0%		64.5	161^st of 447 public middle schools	64.0%	21				73.0	77.0	68.0	73.0					75.0	74.0	76.0				55.0	62.0	68.0	62.0	100.0		$28,511
J.B. Martin Middle School	Public	6-8	434 South Street	Paradis	70080	St. Charles Parish	St. Charles Parish	No	No	No	No	(985) 758-7579	733	64	11.5	40.5%	511 (69.7%)	135 (18.4%)	49 (6.7%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	29 (4.0%)	83.9	68^th of 452 public middle schools	85.0%		82.4	73^rd of 447 public middle schools	83.7%	5				87.0	91.0	71.0	85.0					81.0	79.0	82.0				68.0	76.0	72.0	73.0			$21,849
T.H. Harris Middle School	Public	6-8	911 Elise Avenue	Metairie	70003	Jefferson Parish	Jefferson Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(504) 733-0867	563	40	13.9	66.8%	79 (14.0%)	155 (27.5%)	318 (56.5%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	16.6	390^th of 452 public middle schools	13.7%		21.8	370^th of 447 public middle schools	17.2%	20				44.0	50.0	28.0	40.0				53.0	55.0	44.0	51.0				25.0	35.0	47.0	36.0	92.0		$14,280
John Q. Adams Middle School	Public	6-8	5525 Henican Place	Metairie	70003	Jefferson Parish	Jefferson Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(504) 887-5240	658	40	16.2	55.9%	66 (10.0%)	79 (12.0%)	463 (70.4%)	37 (5.6%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	10 (1.5%)	23.3	360^th of 452 public middle schools	20.4%		10.7	409^th of 447 public middle schools	8.5%	49				46.0	52.0	25.0	43.0				57.0	58.0	54.0	57.0				29.0	46.0	52.0	41.0		92.0	$13,498
East St. John Preparatory Academy	Public	5-8	400 Ory Drive	La Place	70068	St. John the Baptist Parish	St. John the Baptist Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(985) 536-8450	318	20	15.8	85.2%	8 (2.5%)	260 (81.8%)	42 (13.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	12.5	409^th of 452 public middle schools	9.5%		16	388^th of 447 public middle schools	13.2%	21	56.0	43.0	58.0	45.0	34.0	29.0	42.0	43.0	42.0	57.0	56.0	47.0	51.0	48.0	27.0	24.0	34.0	24.0	28.0	37.0	30.0	94.0		$19,228
J.D. Meisler Middle School	Public	6-8	3700 Cleary Avenue	Metairie	70002	Jefferson Parish	Jefferson Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(504) 888-5832	679	35	19.4	51.4%	60 (8.8%)	122 (18.0%)	463 (68.2%)	23 (3.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	9 (1.3%)	26.7	342^nd of 452 public middle schools	24.3%		22.1	366^th of 447 public middle schools	18.1%	24				54.0	53.0	33.0	47.0				61.0	59.0	49.0	56.0				38.0	49.0	44.0	43.0			$14,167
Stella Worley Middle School	Public	6-8	801 Spartan Drive	Westwego	70094	Jefferson Parish	Jefferson Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(504) 348-4964	235	23	10.2	85.1%	34 (14.5%)	128 (54.5%)	55 (23.4%)	7 (3.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.3%)	10.9	418^th of 452 public middle schools	7.5%		10.3	413^th of 447 public middle schools	7.6%	5				38.0	29.0		29.0				54.0	45.0	53.0	51.0				28.0	21.0	38.0	29.0		83.0	$19,879
L.H. Marrero Middle School	Public	6-8	4100 Seventh Street	Marrero	70072	Jefferson Parish	Jefferson Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(504) 341-5842	619	39	15.8	70.0%	81 (13.1%)	245 (39.6%)	252 (40.7%)	28 (4.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.8%)	23	362^nd of 452 public middle schools	19.9%		14.7	394^th of 447 public middle schools	11.9%	32				53.0	51.0	22.0	44.0				63.0	52.0	50.0	55.0				41.0	38.0	46.0	41.0	100.0		$14,296

Frequently Asked Questions about Harry M. Hurst Middle School

How many students attend Harry M. Hurst Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 685 students attended Harry M. Hurst Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Harry M. Hurst Middle School attend?

Students who attend Harry M. Hurst Middle School usually go on to attend Destrehan High School

Is Harry M. Hurst Middle School a good school?

Harry M. Hurst Middle School ranks 93^rd of 452 Louisiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Harry M. Hurst Middle School?

Students at Harry M. Hurst Middle School are 59% White, 21% African American, 13% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Harry M. Hurst Middle School in?

St. Charles Parish

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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.