Prescott K-8 Academy

Prescott K-8 Academy in Baton Rouge, LA, is a public school serving 426 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade, with 94.37% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating a very high level of economic need.

The most critical challenge at Prescott K-8 Academy is a severe attendance crisis, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 60.0% for the 2024-2025 school year—nearly three times the state average of 22.5% and far higher than nearby Belfair Montessori School, which has a rate of just 6.5%. This attendance issue is linked to a high dropout rate of 9.3% for a K-8 school, triple the state average. Academically, the school ranks in the bottom 3rd percentile statewide (rank 669 out of 690) for the 2025-2026 school year, with proficiency rates in Math, ELA, and Social Studies far below state benchmarks. Social Studies is a particular weakness, with proficiency rates ranging from just 5% in 3rd grade to 20% in 8th grade, a problem shared by other nearby schools like Capitol Elementary School (21%) and Park Elementary School (29%).

Despite these struggles, there is a glimmer of hope in English Language Arts (ELA), where proficiency rates in upper grades (5th: 51%, 6th: 54%, 8th: 51%) are significantly higher than in 3rd grade (23%), suggesting that students who stay enrolled may develop stronger literacy skills over time. However, the school shows a stark gender achievement gap, with male students ranking in the 1st percentile compared to female students at the 6th percentile. The contrast with Belfair Montessori School, located just 1.39 miles away and serving a similar grade range with a lower economic disadvantage rate (67.88%), highlights that Prescott's challenges are deeply tied to school-specific culture and engagement strategies, not just poverty or location.