Summary:
In zip code 70501, there is one middle school, Paul Breaux Middle School, serving grades 5 through 8 in Lafayette, Louisiana, a school that faces significant challenges despite being part of the high-performing Lafayette Parish school district, which ranks in the top 23% of districts statewide.
Paul Breaux Middle School is in a state of crisis, with academic performance far below district and state averages. In the 2025-2026 school year, only 28% of students were proficient in mathematics (compared to 71% district-wide and 62% statewide), 41% in English Language Arts (versus 74% district and 70% state), and just 20% in social studies (versus 60% district and 55% state). The school’s state ranking has plummeted from the 40th percentile in 2023-2024 to the bottom 3% (437 out of 452) in 2025-2026. A staggering 54.8% of students are chronically absent—more than double the district rate of 24.0%—which is likely the primary driver of the low test scores. Additionally, 91.08% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating very high economic need.
The most striking takeaway is the extreme disconnect between Paul Breaux Middle School and its parent district. While Lafayette Parish is a strong district, this school’s challenges are highly localized and severe. The rapid two-year decline suggests an acute crisis rather than a long-term trend. English Language Arts is the school’s strongest subject, but still lags far behind. The 8th-grade math proficiency rate of 17% is especially alarming, as it indicates students are entering high school severely underprepared. Any improvement effort must prioritize solving the absenteeism crisis and addressing the barriers associated with high-poverty education.
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