Summary
Tensas High School in Saint Joseph, LA, is a small, rural public school serving 147 students in grades 6 through 12, and it is the only high school in the Tensas Parish district, with nearly 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
The school’s most pressing challenge is chronic absenteeism, which affects nearly 40% of students—almost double the state average of 22.5%. This issue has worsened significantly in recent years and is a major factor behind low academic performance. While the school has a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 8.6 to 1, which could allow for personalized instruction, many students are simply not in class to benefit. Academically, the school shows a clear strength in English Language Arts, with 63% of students proficient in English I, nearly matching the state average. However, math and social studies scores are critically low—only 5% of students are proficient in Geometry, compared to 57% statewide, and just 18% are proficient in Social Studies. The graduation rate of 85.7% is slightly above the state average, and the dropout rate is very low at 1.1%, suggesting that while students stay in school, many struggle to meet graduation requirements.
An interesting bright spot is the performance of female students, who rank in the 37th percentile statewide—a significant improvement from just three years ago—while male students rank much lower. The success in English I, which jumped from 36% proficiency two years ago to 63% now, suggests that a specific teacher or program is making a real difference. Replicating that success in math and social studies, while aggressively tackling absenteeism, could transform the school. Since there are no other schools within 20 miles, families in this rural area rely entirely on Tensas High School, making its improvement vital for the community.
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