Summary:
Zip code 70444 in Kentwood, Louisiana, is home to two high schools within the Tangipahoa Parish school district: Jewel M. Sumner High School (serving grades 9-12) and Kentwood High Magnet School (serving grades 7-12). Both schools serve a high-poverty student population, with Kentwood having an exceptionally high rate of 92.28% of students receiving free or reduced lunch, compared to 69.86% at Sumner.
When comparing the two, Jewel M. Sumner High School is the higher-performing school overall. It ranks in the 25th percentile of Louisiana high schools, while Kentwood High Magnet School ranks in the 13th percentile. Sumner also boasts a strong 88.7% graduation rate, exceeding the state average of 85%, and excels in English I with 70% proficiency. In contrast, Kentwood shows a relative strength in Algebra I (49% proficiency) but struggles more in English. Interestingly, Kentwood has a much lower student-teacher ratio of 8.5:1 compared to Sumner's 15.3:1, yet this advantage does not translate into higher test scores, likely due to the extreme poverty and other challenges it faces.
The most critical issue for both schools is a severe chronic absenteeism crisis. Nearly half of all students at both Jewel M. Sumner High School (48.4%) and Kentwood High Magnet School (49.3%) are chronically absent—more than double the state average of 22.5%. This likely drives the low academic performance and state rankings. Despite low proficiency in core subjects, both schools maintain graduation rates at or above the district average, suggesting a disconnect between state assessment standards and the requirements for earning a diploma.
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