Best Public Schools in Zip Code 71052

The three public schools in zip code 71052 (Mansfield, LA) serve students from Pre-K through 12th grade within the DeSoto Parish district, which is a strong 4-star district ranking in the top 20% of Louisiana, though the local schools show a significant performance gap between the elementary level and the upper grades.

Mansfield Elementary School is the clear standout, achieving a remarkable turnaround from a 2-star to a 4-star school in a single year. It outperforms state averages in English Language Arts (83%) and Social Studies (65%), despite serving a high-poverty population with an 87.45% free/reduced lunch rate. In contrast, Mansfield Middle School struggles significantly, ranking in the 44th percentile with a critical weakness in 5th-grade math (only 16% proficient). However, the middle school has a bright spot: its advanced students taking Algebra I and English I achieve near-perfect proficiency rates. Mansfield High School faces the biggest challenges, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 27.3% and declining state rankings, though it shows some strength in Geometry.

The most important takeaway for parents is the dramatic "elementary-to-middle school cliff." While Mansfield Elementary proves that high poverty does not prevent high achievement, the middle and high schools are underperforming relative to the district. The high school's absenteeism crisis is a leading indicator of its struggles, and the middle school's success with advanced students highlights a "two-schools-in-one" dynamic that has not yet been scaled to help all students. The district's overall strength suggests resources exist, but the Mansfield pipeline needs targeted support to replicate the elementary school's success across all grade levels.