Summary:
The four schools in zip code 71251, serving the town of Jonesboro within the Jackson Parish school district, present a complex picture of high poverty and starkly contrasting academic outcomes, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 77.2% and total enrollment of 1,232 students from Pre-K through 12th grade.
The most surprising standout is Weston High School, an alternative school that dramatically outperforms all other local schools and often exceeds state averages. It boasts a 91.8% graduation rate, a 0.0% dropout rate, and strong proficiency in Algebra I (79%) and English I (73%). In stark contrast, Jonesboro-Hodge High School is the most challenged, with only 14% proficiency in Geometry and a state ranking that has plummeted to the 4th percentile. This traditional high school also has the highest chronic absenteeism rate in the area at 32.7%, despite having the most favorable student-teacher ratio of 8.3:1. Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary School serves as the foundation but shows cracks, with the highest poverty rate (89%) and generally below-average scores, though 4th-grade math (60%) is a relative bright spot. Jonesboro-Hodge Middle School shows a clear academic dip, with 6th-grade math proficiency dropping to 32%.
The key takeaway is a tale of two high schools: the alternative Weston High School is thriving, suggesting an effective model for student engagement, while the traditional Jonesboro-Hodge High School is in significant distress. The district's overall graduation rate (89.8%) is above the state average, but this masks deep disparities. The data strongly indicates that smaller class sizes alone do not guarantee success, and that the middle school years are a critical intervention point for the district.
Thank you for your feedback!