Summary:
The three public schools serving zip code 70466 in Tickfaw, Louisiana—all part of the Tangipahoa Parish school district—serve students from Pre-K through 8th grade, with no high school in the immediate area, and face significant challenges due to high poverty rates and chronic absenteeism.
Midway Elementary School (PK-3) stands out as the strongest performer, earning a 2-star rating and achieving math proficiency (63%) above the state average in 2024-2025, though its performance is volatile and it has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (39.6%) in the zip code. Lucille Nesom Memorial (PK-8) shows dramatic swings by grade, with bright spots like 7th-grade Social Studies (71% vs. 43% district) and 8th-grade ELA (65% vs. 58% district), but overall scores remain low. Natalbany Middle (4-8) is the most consistently underperforming school, ranking in the 9th percentile for three consecutive years with proficiency rates almost universally below district and state averages.
All three schools have alarmingly high chronic absenteeism rates (28.8% to 39.6%), far exceeding the state average of 22.5%, yet dropout rates are near zero—a paradox suggesting students remain enrolled despite frequent absences. A notable anomaly is that both Lucille Nesom Memorial and Natalbany Middle reported 100% proficiency on the English I End-of-Course exam, a stunning outlier likely due to a small number of advanced test-takers. Overall, the data reveals a "younger is better" trend, with early grades at Midway Elementary showing promise, but foundational skills not being sustained in later years. The most critical need is addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism, which appears systemic across all schools in this area.
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