Summary:
Zip code 71129 in Shreveport, Louisiana, is home to two high schools serving grades 9-12 within the Caddo Parish school district: the large, traditional Huntington High School and the small, alternative Caddo Virtual Academy.
The standout school in this area is clearly Caddo Virtual Academy. Despite its small size of just 110 students, it significantly outperforms Huntington High School in nearly every academic metric. Caddo Virtual Academy ranks in the 70th percentile statewide (4 stars), while Huntington High School ranks in the 31st percentile (2 stars). The virtual school exceeds state averages in core subjects like English II (73% vs. 67%), Biology (81% vs. 60%), and U.S. History (68% vs. 55%), whereas Huntington High fails to meet the state average in any subject. Caddo Virtual Academy also boasts a higher graduation rate (87.8% vs. 81.3%) and a dramatically lower chronic absenteeism rate (16.9% vs. 48.0%). A key factor is the student-teacher ratio: Caddo Virtual Academy has a low 10.7:1 ratio, compared to Huntington High's 18.8:1, allowing for more personalized instruction.
The most critical finding is the severe absenteeism crisis at Huntington High School, where nearly half of all students are chronically absent. This rate is more than double the state average and directly correlates with its poor academic performance, particularly in math where only 38% of students are proficient in Algebra I. While Huntington High has a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (74.2% free/reduced lunch) than Caddo Virtual Academy (58.18%), the massive performance gap suggests that the educational model and student engagement are more powerful factors than socioeconomic status alone. This creates a stark contrast within the same district, proving that high achievement is possible in zip code 71129, but the traditional model at Huntington High faces significant systemic challenges that need urgent attention.
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