Summary:
Zip code 70359, located in Gray, Louisiana, is home to a single high school, H. L. Bourgeois High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 with a total enrollment of 1,289 students as part of the Terrebonne Parish school district.
H. L. Bourgeois High School presents a mixed picture of performance. On the positive side, the school boasts a graduation rate of 86.0%, which is above both the district average of 83.8% and the state average of 85.0%. The school also shows notable academic strengths in Geometry and English II, with proficiency rates consistently exceeding state averages. However, there are significant areas of concern. The school's state ranking has declined sharply over the past three years, dropping from the 71st percentile to the 54th percentile. A critical red flag is the chronic absenteeism rate of 34.7%, which is dramatically higher than the state average of 22.5% and likely a major driver of the school's declining performance. Additionally, the school struggles with Algebra I proficiency, which has consistently fallen below the state average, and has a dropout rate of 4.2% that exceeds both district and state averages.
Perhaps the most interesting finding is the paradox between the school's strong graduation rate and its mixed academic proficiency. While 86% of students graduate, only 61% are proficient in Algebra I and 60% in Biology, suggesting that many students may be progressing to graduation without mastering key academic content. The school's declining trajectory is particularly concerning given that it belongs to a well-regarded district ranked in the top 22% of Louisiana, indicating that H. L. Bourgeois High School is not keeping pace with improvements seen elsewhere. For parents, the most impactful area for improvement would be addressing the high chronic absenteeism rate, which is likely the single biggest factor holding the school back from achieving its full potential.
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