Summary:
In zip code 71270, Ruston, Louisiana, there are two middle schools serving grades 6 through 8 within the highly-rated Lincoln Parish school district, which ranks in the 81st percentile statewide.
I.A. Lewis School, which exclusively serves 6th graders, stands out as the top academic performer in core subjects. It achieved a 70% proficiency rate in Math and 75% in English Language Arts, both exceeding state averages and outperforming Ruston Junior High School (grades 7-8), which scored 66% in Math and 68% in ELA. However, I.A. Lewis has a notable weakness in Social Studies, with only 44% proficiency—19 points below the district average. In contrast, Ruston Junior High excels in Social Studies at 62%, well above the state average of 55%. Both schools share a challenge with chronic absenteeism (16.6% and 17.0%), which is above the district average of 14.1% but below the state average of 22.5%.
The most compelling story is Ruston Junior High's dramatic turnaround. In just one year, its Math proficiency soared by 12 points (from 54% to 66%), and its state ranking jumped from the 38th to the 58th percentile. It also boasts an exceptionally low dropout rate of 0.2%, far better than the district (1.2%) and state (3.1%) averages. Meanwhile, I.A. Lewis shows strong year-over-year improvement, with a 9-point gain in Math and a 4-point gain in ELA. The data suggests a "6th grade advantage" at I.A. Lewis, as proficiency rates drop when students transition to Ruston Junior High, particularly in 8th grade where Math proficiency falls to 58% and ELA to 62%. Both schools are on positive trajectories, with I.A. Lewis leading in core academics and Ruston Junior High showing remarkable growth and strong social studies performance.
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