Summary:
In zip code 70584, there is one middle school, Sunset Middle School, serving grades 5 through 8 in Sunset, Louisiana, a community where over 81% of students come from economically disadvantaged households.
Sunset Middle School is in a period of rapid decline, dropping from a 3-star rating in the 2023-2024 school year to a 1-star rating in 2025-2026, falling from the 53rd percentile to the 17th percentile statewide. The school consistently underperforms compared to the St. Landry Parish district and state averages across all core subjects. In 2025-2026, only 39% of students were proficient in Mathematics (compared to 55% district and 62% state), 55% in English Language Arts (compared to 67% district and 70% state), and 34% in Social Studies (compared to 45% district and 55% state). The chronic absenteeism rate of 25.8% is higher than the state average of 22.5%, though better than the district's 31.2%. On a positive note, the school's dropout rate of 1.0% is significantly lower than both the district (4.1%) and state (3.1%) averages.
A standout bright spot is 8th grade English Language Arts, where students achieved 66% proficiency in 2025-2026, matching the district average and coming within 3 points of the state average. This contrasts sharply with 7th grade Social Studies, where only 28% of students were proficient—a staggering 22 points below the district and 29 points below the state. The 7th grade also struggles in Mathematics (35% proficiency), suggesting a systemic issue at that grade level. The school's student-teacher ratio of 16.4:1 is slightly higher than the state average, indicating larger class sizes. Understanding what works for 8th grade ELA could provide a roadmap for improvement, while the steep two-year decline in state rankings demands urgent attention to curriculum, instruction, and student support.
Thank you for your feedback!