Summary:
The two public schools in zip code 70512 (Arnaudville, LA), Beau Chene High School and Arnaudville Middle School, serve a combined 960 students within the St. Landry Parish school district and present a stark contrast in performance, with the middle school significantly outperforming the high school despite both serving communities with high rates of economic disadvantage.
Arnaudville Middle School is the standout school in the area, consistently exceeding district and state averages in math (76% proficient), ELA (77%), and social studies (63%) on the 2025-2026 LEAP tests. This is particularly impressive given that 76.68% of its 193 students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school benefits from a low student-teacher ratio of 10.9:1, which likely supports more individualized attention. However, its state ranking has declined from the 89th percentile to the 62nd percentile over three years, a trend worth monitoring. In contrast, Beau Chene High School faces significant challenges with its 767 students. It holds a low state ranking (31st percentile) and struggles with a graduation rate of just 73.7%, a chronic absenteeism rate of 46.7%, and a dropout rate of 5.0%—all worse than district and state averages.
The most critical takeaway is the troubling transition from a high-performing middle school to a struggling high school. While Arnaudville Middle School excels, Beau Chene High School shows mixed academic results, with particular weaknesses in U.S. History (23% proficient) and English I (46% proficient), both far below state averages. The high school's extreme chronic absenteeism is likely a primary driver of its low graduation rate and poor test scores. For parents, this data suggests that while the middle school provides a strong foundation, the high school environment may not be adequately supporting students, creating a significant drop-off in academic outcomes and engagement.
Thank you for your feedback!