Summary:
The four schools in zip code 70427 (Bogalusa, LA) are all part of the City of Bogalusa School District, which ranks near the bottom of Louisiana districts, and serve a student population facing significant economic challenges, with free/reduced lunch rates above 93%.
The most surprising finding is that Northshore Charter School, an alternative school, is the academic leader in the district. It achieved the highest proficiency rates in both Math (49%) and English Language Arts (55%) in the 2024-2025 school year, outperforming the district average and even exceeding it in several grade levels. It also reported a 0% dropout rate. In contrast, Bogalusa High School has a graduation rate slightly above the state average (88.5%) but struggles with a high dropout rate (6.0%) and very low test scores, particularly in Algebra I (22%) and Biology (22%). Central Elementary School showed some improvement in recent data but remains well below state averages. Byrd Avenue Primary School has no recent test scores as it serves grades PK-1.
A critical concern is chronic absenteeism, which is highest at Byrd Avenue Primary School at 33.1%, a troubling figure for the youngest students where attendance habits are formed. This is significantly above the state average of 22.5%. Bogalusa High School has the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.9:1), which could allow for more individualized attention, though this has not translated into higher test scores. Overall, while Northshore Charter School stands out as a potential model, the district faces deep challenges rooted in high poverty and inconsistent academic outcomes across all schools.
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