Summary:
In zip code 71055, there is one middle school, Webster Junior High School, serving grades 6 through 8 with 461 students in Minden, Louisiana, a community where nearly 80% of students come from low-income households.
Webster Junior High School consistently ranks in the bottom 20% of Louisiana middle schools, earning a 1-star rating and placing in the 18th percentile statewide. The school is part of the Webster Parish district, which holds a 2-star rating. Academic proficiency lags behind state averages across all subjects: only 47% of students are proficient in math (compared to 62% statewide), 53% in English Language Arts (versus 70% statewide), and 40% in social studies (versus 55% statewide). A notable bright spot is a positive trend in math, which improved from 42% to 47% proficiency in one year. However, a significant weakness is 6th grade social studies, where just 28% of students are proficient—21 points below the state average. Chronic absenteeism is high at 24%, exceeding the state average of 22.5%, yet the school maintains a low dropout rate of 0.9%, far better than the district’s 2.9% and state’s 3.1%.
Despite a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.6:1, Webster Junior High School faces significant challenges tied to its high poverty rate. The school’s performance has stagnated over the past three years, with no upward trend in its state ranking. The combination of high chronic absenteeism and low test scores suggests that while students are not dropping out, many are missing enough school to hinder learning. The math improvement offers a potential model for other subjects, but the social studies gap and overall low proficiency rates indicate the school is struggling to overcome socioeconomic barriers. For parents, this school provides a supportive environment with small class sizes and strong retention, but academic outcomes remain a serious concern.
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