Summary:
The 71457 zip code in Natchitoches, Louisiana, is home to two elementary schools—L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle School (serving Pre-K through 2nd grade) and M.R. Weaver Elementary School (serving 3rd and 4th grade)—both part of the highly rated Natchitoches Parish school district, which ranks in the 82nd percentile statewide.
These two schools form a clear feeder pattern, and their performance tells a story of contrast. M.R. Weaver Elementary School stands out as the stronger performer, with recent LEAP test scores showing 47% proficiency in Math, 60% in English Language Arts, and 51% in Social Studies across all grades. Its 4th-grade students particularly shine, exceeding the state average in Social Studies (60% vs. 58%) and approaching it in ELA (65% vs. 72%). The school has also shown an improving state ranking trend, moving from the 33rd percentile to the 31st percentile over recent years. A key strength is its low chronic absenteeism rate of 12.4%, well below the state average of 22.5%. In contrast, L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle School faces significant challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 21.3% and a history of struggling academically, with its last available state ranking from 2017-2018 placing it in the bottom 1% of schools. Both schools serve extremely high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch rates above 90%, but M.R. Weaver demonstrates that moderate success is possible despite economic disadvantage.
A notable finding is that while the Natchitoches Parish district earns a 4-star rating, the elementary schools in this zip code lag behind, suggesting other district schools are pulling the average up. The data gap at L.P. Vaughn—with no recent test scores or rankings—creates a blind spot for parents assessing early education quality. However, the lower 3rd-grade scores at M.R. Weaver compared to its 4th-grade scores hint that students may be catching up after transitioning from L.P. Vaughn, making the lower school’s attendance and readiness a critical area for improvement.
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