Schools in Zip Code 70809

Zip code 70809 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is home to three schools serving grades PK through 10, including two elementary schools within the East Baton Rouge Parish district and one specialized charter school, all facing high levels of economic disadvantage with free/reduced lunch rates above 76%.

Westminster Elementary School stands out as the top academic performer despite having the highest poverty rate in the area at 84.13%. It is the only school in the zip code to meet or exceed state averages in any subject, achieving 53% proficiency in Mathematics compared to the state's 60%, and it boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 20.3%, which is below the state average. In contrast, Jefferson Terrace Academy is a declining performer with a state ranking in the 6th percentile, showing significant weaknesses across all subjects, particularly in Social Studies where only 24% of students are proficient versus the state's 55%. Louisiana Key Academy Baton Rouge, part of the Louisiana Key Academy Baton Rouge district, is a specialized school for students with dyslexia and cannot be fairly compared on test scores, but it has an extremely low student-teacher ratio of 6.6:1 and a critically high chronic absenteeism rate of 51.2%.

The most striking finding is that poverty does not determine academic success, as Westminster Elementary thrives with the highest poverty rate while Jefferson Terrace Academy struggles with similar demographics, highlighting the impact of school-level factors like leadership and curriculum. Social Studies is a systemic weakness across all schools, and Jefferson Terrace Academy's slight improvement from the 6th to 12th percentile suggests small signs of progress, though it remains a school in need of significant support.