Summary:
In zip code 70538, there is one high school, Franklin Senior High School, serving grades 9 through 12 with 304 students in the St. Mary Parish school district, which is ranked 52nd out of 116 districts in Louisiana.
Franklin Senior High School has a very low dropout rate of just 0.6%, significantly better than the state average of 3.1%, and the district graduation rate of 92.7% also exceeds the state average of 85.0%. However, the school faces a major challenge with chronic absenteeism, as 36.1% of students are chronically absent—far above the district rate of 23.0% and state rate of 22.5%. This creates a paradox where students are frequently missing school but not dropping out, suggesting issues like transportation or health challenges rather than disengagement. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 90.46% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Academically, performance is uneven. In the most recent school year, Biology proficiency was 56%, close to the state average of 60%, while Geometry proficiency was just 34%, a full 23 points below the state average of 57%. English I and II scores were also below state averages. The school has been ranked between 237th and 242nd out of roughly 325 schools statewide for three consecutive years, placing it consistently in the bottom 27th percentile with a 1-star rating. While the school retains students well and keeps them on a path to graduation, improving academic proficiency—especially in math—remains a critical area for growth.
Thank you for your feedback!