Best Public Schools in Zip Code 71373

The four public schools in zip code 71373 (Vidalia, LA) are all part of the Concordia Parish School District, serving students from Pre-K through 12th grade in a community where 75% to 85% of students face economic disadvantage.

Vidalia Upper Elementary School stands out as the academic leader, earning a 3-star rating and achieving 83% proficiency in 4th-grade English Language Arts, well above district and state averages. Vidalia Junior High School excels in student engagement, with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (15.8%) and a dropout rate of just 1.7%, far better than district and state averages; it also shines in ELA with 73% proficiency. Vidalia High School shows positive momentum, improving its state ranking for three consecutive years and outperforming the district on all End-of-Course exams, but faces a major challenge with a 31.3% chronic absenteeism rate—the highest in the zip code. Vidalia Lower Elementary School serves the youngest students (PK-2) with an 85% free/reduced lunch rate and a student-teacher ratio of 14.4.

A key takeaway is the "engagement cliff" at the high school level, where chronic absenteeism more than doubles compared to the lower grades. While the junior high is an ELA powerhouse, the high school struggles with U.S. History (46% proficiency) and Biology (50%). Despite high poverty levels, Vidalia Upper Elementary manages to achieve competitive proficiency rates, suggesting effective strategies are in place there. Overall, families in this area will find strong elementary and middle school options, but should be aware of the attendance and academic challenges that emerge at the high school level.