Summary:
Zip code 70577 is home to a single high school, Port Barre High School, which serves 354 students in grades 9-12 within the St. Landry Parish school district, an area where 64% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Port Barre High School presents a mixed picture of strengths and challenges. Its standout strength is in Algebra I, where 68% of students were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year, significantly outperforming both the district (54%) and the state (65%). The school also shows strong results in English II and Biology, where it has recently exceeded state averages. However, the school faces a critical challenge with a chronic absenteeism rate of 42.2%, nearly double the state average of 22.5%. This high absentee rate likely contributes to the school's declining state ranking, which dropped from the 52nd percentile (3-star) in 2023-2024 to the 41st percentile (2-star) in 2025-2026. Academic performance is inconsistent, with severe weaknesses in U.S. History (only 37% proficient) and Geometry (46% proficient), both well below state averages.
Despite these issues, the school maintains a graduation rate of 82%, which is above the district average of 78.7%, and a low dropout rate of 2.8%. The student-teacher ratio of 10.5:1 suggests smaller class sizes than typical. The key takeaway for parents is that while Port Barre High School excels in some subjects and keeps most students enrolled, its high chronic absenteeism and inconsistent test scores—particularly in history and geometry—indicate that many graduates may not be fully prepared for college or career, despite earning a diploma.
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