Summary:
The five public schools in zip code 71055 (Minden, LA) serve approximately 2,172 students from Pre-K through 12th grade, all part of the Webster Parish school district, which holds a 2-star rating and ranks 81st out of 116 districts in Louisiana.
Minden High School stands out as the only school in the area with a graduation rate (87.4%) above the state average, yet it also has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (45.9%)—more than double the state average. E. S. Richardson Elementary School is the academic bright spot among elementary schools, achieving the highest proficiency rates in Math (41%) and English Language Arts (50%), with its 5th-grade Social Studies score (48%) actually exceeding the district average. In contrast, J. L. Jones Elementary School struggles significantly, earning a 0-star rating with the lowest test scores in Math (36%), ELA (41%), and Social Studies (33%), along with the highest student-to-teacher ratio (17.9:1). Webster Junior High School has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (24.0%) and the most favorable student-to-teacher ratio (13.6:1), while J. A. Phillips Elementary School serves the youngest students (PK-1) without test score data.
A critical finding is that all five schools have chronic absenteeism rates above the state average, averaging 33.2%, which is likely tied to the high economic disadvantage (average 79.5% Free/Reduced Lunch eligibility). Social Studies is the weakest subject across the zip code, with the largest gaps compared to state averages—for example, only 28% of 6th graders at Webster Junior High are proficient versus 49% statewide. The data also reveals a "feeder pattern" of decline, where performance drops significantly when students transition from elementary to middle school, such as E. S. Richardson's 5th-grade ELA proficiency of 57% falling to 52% for 6th graders at Webster Junior High. Improving attendance appears to be the most impactful lever for raising test scores and graduation rates across the community.
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