Summary:
The five public schools in zip code 70452 (Pearl River, LA) serve students from Pre-K through 12th grade within the highly-rated St. Tammany Parish school district, a top-tier district in Louisiana, and are home to approximately 2,081 students with a moderate-to-high level of economic need, as indicated by an average free/reduced lunch rate of 53.4%.
The elementary schools in this area are standout performers. Sixth Ward Elementary School is the top-ranked school in the zip code, achieving an 85th percentile statewide ranking with exceptional math (83% proficient) and social studies (71% proficient) scores. Riverside Elementary School is a powerhouse of consistency, earning a 4-star rating and demonstrating remarkable academic growth from 3rd to 5th grade, with math proficiency climbing from 64% to 84%. In contrast, Creekside Junior High shows a notable weakness in math (56% proficient) compared to its strong ELA scores (77% proficient), while Pearl River High School faces significant challenges with a high dropout rate (5.1%) and an alarming chronic absenteeism rate of 36.3%, far exceeding district and state averages. Little Pearl Elementary School, serving only Pre-K and Kindergarten, has a very low student-teacher ratio of 8:1 but a high chronic absenteeism rate of 35.8%.
A key takeaway is the "performance cliff" as students advance: elementary schools outperform district averages, but middle and high schools underperform, particularly in math and attendance. The average chronic absenteeism rate across all five schools is 28.4%, significantly higher than the state average of 22.5%, indicating a systemic issue with student engagement. While the elementary schools are a clear strength, the community's early education success is not being fully sustained through the upper grades, making it crucial for parents to monitor attendance and support during the transition years.
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