Summary:
Zip code 71291 in West Monroe, Louisiana, is home to two middle schools, West Ridge Middle School and Good Hope Middle School, both part of the Ouachita Parish school district, serving grades 6-8.
West Ridge Middle School is the standout performer in this area, consistently earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 10% of all Louisiana middle schools. Its academic proficiency rates are exceptional, with 87% of students proficient in Math and 90% in ELA, far exceeding both district and state averages. In contrast, Good Hope Middle School is a solid 4-star school that performs well above state averages but trails West Ridge significantly. The most critical difference between the two is chronic absenteeism: Good Hope's rate of 30.2% is more than double West Ridge's 14.7% and well above the state average of 22.5%. This high absenteeism is a major concern for Good Hope, as it is strongly linked to lower academic performance. Both schools have very low dropout rates (0.6% at West Ridge and 0.0% at Good Hope), well below the state average of 3.1%.
For parents, the choice is clear: West Ridge Middle School offers elite, top-tier academic performance with minimal absenteeism issues, while Good Hope Middle School provides a strong, above-average education but faces a significant challenge with student attendance. Addressing chronic absenteeism at Good Hope would likely be the most impactful step to close the performance gap between these two schools. Overall, zip code 71291 offers two very different middle school options, with West Ridge being a powerhouse and Good Hope being a solid choice with room for improvement.
Thank you for your feedback!