Summary:
Zip code 70049 (Edgard, LA) is home to two small public schools within the St. John the Baptist Parish school district, serving a combined 374 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a high-poverty area where over 84% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
West St. John Elementary School (K-7) is the stronger academic performer in the zip code, particularly in mathematics, with 79% of 6th graders proficient in math—well above district and state averages. It also boasts a very low student-teacher ratio of 7.9:1, which supports individualized attention. However, social studies is a clear weakness, with only 40% proficiency overall and a concerning 22% proficiency in 4th grade. In contrast, West St. John High School excels in student engagement metrics, featuring a stellar 92.1% graduation rate, a 1.8% dropout rate, and only 9.1% chronic absenteeism—all far better than district and state averages. Yet this engagement does not translate into high academic proficiency, especially in math, where only 42% are proficient in Algebra I and 31% in Geometry, compared to state averages of 65% and 57%.
A key takeaway is the "feeder pattern" of declining math performance: while the elementary school shows strong math results, proficiency plummets by high school, suggesting a breakdown in curriculum alignment. Additionally, the two schools have contrasting absenteeism patterns—the high school's low rate of 9.1% versus the elementary school's high rate of 21.3%—indicating different challenges for younger versus older students. Overall, families in this area will find a high school that keeps students engaged and on track to graduate, but may need to supplement math instruction, while the elementary school offers strong early math support but struggles with social studies and attendance.
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