Summary:
This analysis examines two high schools in zip code 71202 (Monroe, LA): Wossman High School and Richwood High School, both serving grades 9-12 in an area where over 90% of students face economic disadvantage.
These two schools present a fascinating contrast in performance. Wossman High School stands out for its strong graduation rate of 92.4%, significantly above the state average of 85%, despite having a high chronic absenteeism rate of 42.5%. This suggests effective intervention programs keep students on track. In contrast, Richwood High School has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate of 14.9% but a concerning graduation rate of 78.6% and a dropout rate of 7.0%—more than double the state average. Academically, the schools have opposite strengths: Wossman excels in English (64% proficiency in English II) while Richwood shows strength in Algebra I (61% proficiency). Wossman is part of the City of Monroe School District (ranked at the 22nd percentile), while Richwood belongs to the higher-ranked Ouachita Parish district (67th percentile), yet Richwood significantly underperforms its district averages.
Key takeaways for parents: Wossman offers a better path to graduation despite attendance challenges, while Richwood has a more favorable student-teacher ratio (9.4:1 vs. 12.1:1) but struggles to convert that into academic success. Neither school shows consistent proficiency across all core subjects, and the dropout rate disparity is a critical red flag for Richwood. Wossman's improving state ranking (from 24th to 34th percentile) suggests positive momentum, while Richwood's low absenteeism not translating into higher graduation rates indicates deeper systemic issues that warrant investigation.
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