Summary:
This analysis examines four elementary schools in Crowley, Louisiana (zip code 70526), all part of the Acadia Parish school district, serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade in a community where over 83% of students face economic disadvantage.
North Crowley Elementary School stands out as the top performer, achieving 43% math proficiency, 61% ELA proficiency, and 38% social studies proficiency—9 to 12 percentage points higher than its peers. Its 4th-grade class is exceptional, with an 80% ELA proficiency rate that surpasses both district (74%) and state (72%) averages. In contrast, South Crowley Elementary and Ross Elementary struggle, ranking in the 7th and 8th percentiles statewide, respectively. Crowley Kindergarten School, serving only Pre-K and Kindergarten, lacks test scores but shows a high student-teacher ratio of 18.6:1 and 35.5% chronic absenteeism, which may impact later academic readiness.
Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue, ranging from 32.9% at Ross to 40.8% at South Crowley—far exceeding the district average of 29.8% and nearly double the state average of 22.5%. Notably, North Crowley has the lowest student-teacher ratio (12.5:1) and the lowest economic disadvantage rate (83.07%), while lower-performing schools have higher ratios and disadvantage rates. All three graded schools show a concerning three-year decline in state rankings, suggesting systemic challenges. Despite this, North Crowley’s 4th-grade success offers a model for improvement, highlighting the potential impact of targeted instructional strategies and lower class sizes.
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