Summary:
In zip code 70560, New Iberia, Louisiana, there are two high schools serving grades 9-12 within the Iberia Parish school district, which is ranked in the top 30% of districts statewide.
New Iberia Senior High School is the clear standout, ranking in the top 27% of Louisiana high schools and outperforming both the district and state averages in every academic subject. For example, 81% of its students are proficient in Algebra I, compared to just 37% at Westgate High School. Westgate, in contrast, ranks in the bottom 16% of the state and has seen its percentile rank decline over the past three years. While Westgate has a slightly lower student-teacher ratio (13.7 vs. 15.6), suggesting more individual attention, its academic outcomes are far worse, indicating that other factors are more critical to success.
A major concern for both schools is chronic absenteeism, which is significantly above the district and state averages. New Iberia Senior High has a 31.1% chronic absenteeism rate, while Westgate's is even higher at 36.9%. This likely contributes to the lower graduation rates at both schools (82.8% and 79.1%, respectively) compared to the state average of 85%. Additionally, Westgate serves a more economically disadvantaged population, with 78.79% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch versus 65.25% at New Iberia Senior High, a factor that correlates with its lower test scores and higher dropout rate. For parents, New Iberia Senior High offers consistently strong academic performance, while Westgate faces significant challenges that require careful consideration.
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