Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 70589

In zip code 70589 (Washington, LA), there are two elementary schools—Grand Prairie Elementary School and Washington Elementary School—serving a combined 379 students in the St. Landry Parish district, an area where both schools serve a high-poverty population with free/reduced lunch rates of 75% and 92.17%, respectively.

Grand Prairie Elementary School is the standout performer in this area, consistently ranking among the top elementary schools in Louisiana. It achieved an 88th percentile ranking (4 stars) in 2024-2025 and an 85th percentile ranking (4 stars) in 2023-2024, though it slipped slightly to the 69th percentile (3 stars) for 2025-2026. The school significantly outperforms both the district and state averages, with 78% proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and 68% in Math, compared to state averages of 70% and 62%, respectively. Its Social Studies proficiency of 66% is a remarkable 21 points higher than the district average. In contrast, Washington Elementary School faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the 20th percentile (1 star) for 2024-2025, a decline from the 40th percentile (2 stars) the previous year. Only 26% of Washington students were proficient in Math, a 34-point deficit compared to the state average.

A key finding is the "resource paradox": Washington Elementary has a lower student-teacher ratio (9.1:1) than Grand Prairie (13.6:1), yet its academic outcomes are drastically lower. This suggests that systemic challenges like high chronic absenteeism (37.6% at Washington vs. 28.1% at Grand Prairie) and extreme poverty are more powerful predictors of performance than class size. Despite its overall struggles, Washington shows a bright spot in 6th grade, where 88% of students were proficient in ELA—exceeding both the district and state averages—and Math proficiency jumps from 11% in 3rd grade to 56% in 6th grade, indicating effective acceleration in upper grades. Grand Prairie’s exceptional Social Studies performance suggests a specific, effective curriculum that could serve as a model for the district.