Summary:
In zip code 70542, there is one elementary school, Jesse Owens Elementary School, serving grades PK through 5 in the rural community of Gueydan, Louisiana, with a total enrollment of 180 students.
Jesse Owens Elementary School is part of the high-performing Vermilion Parish school district, which ranks 14th out of 116 districts in Louisiana. The school has experienced a declining state ranking over the past three years, dropping from the 73rd percentile to the 62nd percentile. Despite this trend, the school's test scores remain competitive with state averages. In the 2025-2026 school year, overall English Language Arts proficiency was 71% (just above the state average of 70%), and Social Studies proficiency was 61% (well above the state average of 55%). The 5th grade class is a standout, achieving 84% proficiency in Mathematics and 85% in English Language Arts, significantly outperforming state averages. However, the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 36% is a major concern, as it is substantially higher than both the district average of 27.9% and the state average of 22.5%.
The most critical takeaway for parents is that while Jesse Owens Elementary School demonstrates strong academic performance in certain areas—particularly in 5th grade and Social Studies—it faces significant challenges with chronic absenteeism. The school also lags behind its own district averages, such as a 23-point gap in 4th grade English Language Arts scores compared to the Vermilion Parish district. With a student-teacher ratio of 12:1 and 61.67% of students receiving free or reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population. Addressing the high absenteeism rate would likely be the most impactful step toward improving the school's overall performance and state ranking.
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