Summary:
In zip code 70403, serving parts of Hammond and Kentwood, Louisiana, three elementary schools within the Tangipahoa Parish school district serve students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade, with all schools facing significant academic and socioeconomic challenges.
Hammond Westside Montessori is the standout school in the area, being the largest with 1,022 students and the only one offering grades PK-8. It consistently outperforms its peers, ranking highest at the 17th percentile statewide. Its most impressive feature is exceptional performance in English I exams, achieving 84% proficiency in 2025-2026 and a perfect 100% in 2024-2025—far exceeding district and state averages. In contrast, Woodland Park Magnet struggles the most, ranking at the 7th percentile with the lowest test scores across all subjects and the highest student-teacher ratio at 12.2. O.W. Dillon Leadership Academy shows a notable bright spot in 3rd-grade Mathematics, where 66% of students are proficient, outperforming both the district (51%) and state (62%) averages, though this success does not carry into higher grades.
All three schools share common challenges: chronic absenteeism rates exceed 30%, well above the state average of 22.5%, and a high percentage of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, ranging from 78% at Hammond Westside to 96% at O.W. Dillon. Overall test proficiency in Math, ELA, and Social Studies remains below district and state averages for all schools, reflecting broader systemic issues within the low-ranked Tangipahoa Parish district. Despite favorable student-teacher ratios between 10.1 and 12.2, the combination of high poverty and absenteeism creates significant barriers to academic success across the zip code.
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