Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 71055

Zip code 71055 in Minden, Louisiana, is home to three elementary schools within the Webster Parish school district, which together form a unique feeder pattern serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade. J. A. Phillips Elementary School (PK-1st grade) is the largest with 429 students and the entry point for the district's youngest learners, while J. L. Jones Elementary School (2nd-3rd grade) and E. S. Richardson Elementary School (4th-5th grade) serve the upper grades. All three schools face significant challenges, with high rates of economic disadvantage (82-84% Free/Reduced Lunch) and chronic absenteeism that exceeds the state average of 22.5%, ranging from 30.5% at J. L. Jones to 33.6% at J. A. Phillips.

When comparing the two schools with test scores, E. S. Richardson Elementary School stands out as the academic leader, consistently outperforming its feeder school J. L. Jones Elementary School in every subject. E. S. Richardson achieves 50% proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and 41% in Math, compared to J. L. Jones's 41% in ELA and 36% in Math. Notably, E. S. Richardson's 5th-grade ELA score of 57% is a bright spot, approaching the district average. In contrast, J. L. Jones is the most concerning performer, with the lowest proficiency rates across all subjects and a state ranking that has steadily declined from the 22nd percentile in 2021-2022 to the 8th percentile in 2025-2026.

A key takeaway is the apparent academic growth as students move through the grade bands, with E. S. Richardson showing higher scores than J. L. Jones in every subject, including a jump in ELA from 41% to 50%. However, Social Studies remains a weak point across both schools, with proficiency at just 33% at J. L. Jones and 39% at E. S. Richardson, well below the state average of 55%. Additionally, resource allocation raises questions: J. L. Jones has the highest student-teacher ratio (17.9:1) and the lowest performance, while J. A. Phillips has the lowest ratio (14.7:1) for its youngest students. The chronic absenteeism crisis, affecting over 30% of students at every school, is a critical factor likely hindering academic progress across the zip code.