Summary:
In zip code 71342, there is one middle school, Jena Junior High School, serving grades 6 through 8 in Jena, Louisiana, as part of the high-performing LaSalle Parish school district.
Jena Junior High School is a strong academic performer, consistently exceeding state averages in core subjects. In the 2025-2026 school year, 87% of students were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 70%, and 74% were proficient in Math, versus 62% statewide. The school has also shown an improving trajectory, moving from the 66th percentile in state rankings three years ago to the 76th percentile (109th out of 452 schools) in 2025-2026, earning a 4-star rating. Additionally, it reported a 0.0% dropout rate, far better than the state's 3.1% average. However, a key concern is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 28.1%—higher than the state average of 22.5%—suggesting that while the school excels with students who attend regularly, a significant portion of the student body is missing substantial school days.
Despite its overall strength, the school shows a decline in Math and Social Studies proficiency as students progress through grades, with 8th-grade Math proficiency dropping to 67% from 82% in 6th grade. Furthermore, while the school outperforms the state, it trails its own district averages in 8th-grade Math (67% vs. 75%) and Social Studies (58% vs. 70%), indicating that other middle schools in LaSalle Parish may be achieving even stronger results in the final middle school year. With a student-teacher ratio of 12.5:1 and 57.29% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, Jena Junior High School offers a solid educational foundation, particularly in ELA, but families should be aware of the absenteeism issue and the grade-level performance trends.
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