Summary:
This analysis examines eight elementary schools in zip code 70601 (Lake Charles, LA), serving grades PK through 5, all part of the Calcasieu Parish school district, which is ranked in the top 27% of Louisiana districts.
The standout school is T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School, a magnet school with a perfect 100% proficiency rate in all subjects, ranking in the top 1% of Louisiana elementary schools. It has a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 1.3% and only 15% of students receiving free/reduced lunch. In stark contrast, Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School and John J. Johnson II Elementary School face significant challenges, with the highest poverty rates (over 95%) and chronic absenteeism (up to 38%), resulting in the lowest state rankings (bottom 3% and 8th percentile, respectively). Combre-Fondel Elementary School has the largest enrollment (426) and moderate performance near state averages, while T. H. Watkins Elementary School experienced a sharp decline, dropping from a 2-star to a 0-star rating in one year. Other schools like Oak Park Elementary School, Pearl Watson Elementary School, and Barbe Elementary School show mixed results, with Social Studies being a universal weakness across non-magnet schools.
Key takeaways include a profound socioeconomic divide within the same zip code, where T. S. Cooley's magnet status creates a different educational environment compared to neighborhood schools serving over 90% economically disadvantaged students. The data strongly links poverty, chronic absenteeism, and low academic performance, with the average chronic absenteeism rate for non-magnet schools at 26.3%. Parents should note that T. S. Cooley's exceptional data does not reflect the typical experience in this area, and the dramatic decline at T. H. Watkins warrants further investigation into potential causes like leadership or curriculum changes.
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