Summary:
The five public schools in zip code 71342, serving the Jena, Louisiana area, are all part of the top-ranked LaSalle Parish school district, which holds a 5-star rating and ranks 8th out of 116 districts in the state. These schools include three elementary schools (Jena Elementary School, Goodpine Middle School for grades 3-5, and Nebo Elementary School for PK-8), one middle school (Jena Junior High School), and one high school (Jena High School), with a total enrollment of about 1,573 students.
For parents, the standout schools offer different strengths. Nebo Elementary School is an academic powerhouse, achieving exceptional proficiency rates like 93% in 6th Grade Math, though its small size of 135 students can lead to volatile state rankings. Goodpine Middle School is a model of consistency, maintaining a 4-star rating for three years and boasting the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the area at 18.5%. Jena High School has a strong 94.4% graduation rate and a very low 0.2% dropout rate, but it faces a significant challenge with a 37.5% chronic absenteeism rate, far above the state average. Jena Junior High School excels in English Language Arts with 87% proficiency, avoiding the typical "middle school dip" seen elsewhere.
Key metrics show that all schools outperform the state average in English Language Arts, while math performance varies, with Nebo Elementary School leading in upper-grade math and Jena High School falling below state averages in Algebra I and Geometry. Socioeconomic need is moderate to high, with 50-58% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch. Student-teacher ratios are favorable, ranging from 10.7:1 at Nebo Elementary School to 14.6:1 at Jena Elementary School. The most interesting finding is the absenteeism paradox at Jena High School, where high absenteeism coexists with excellent graduation rates, suggesting effective student support systems.
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