Best Public Schools in Zip Code 71463

The three public schools in zip code 71463 (Oakdale, LA) serve approximately 1,155 students across elementary, middle, and high school levels within the Allen Parish school district, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 79th percentile statewide.

Oakdale High School is the standout performer, showing dramatic improvement from a 2-star to a 4-star rating in two years and excelling in STEM subjects—Algebra I proficiency (86%) and Geometry (70%) far exceed state averages. However, it faces a critical challenge with a 40.8% chronic absenteeism rate, nearly double the state average, creating a paradox where high test scores coexist with significant disengagement. Oakdale Elementary School provides a strong foundation with consistent improvement to a 3-star rating, above-average math (73%) and ELA (73%) proficiency, and an excellent 10.0% chronic absenteeism rate—well below district and state averages. In contrast, Oakdale Middle School is the weakest link, holding a 2-star rating with math proficiency (55%) and social studies (49%) below state averages, and a 25.6% chronic absenteeism rate that signals a troubling "middle school slide."

Despite serving a high-poverty community where 73.5% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, the schools demonstrate that strong achievement is possible. Oakdale High School boasts a 93.5% graduation rate and a 0.0% dropout rate for 2023-2024, while all three schools maintain favorable student-teacher ratios between 10.3:1 and 12.4:1. The district should investigate what drives success at the elementary and high school levels—particularly in math instruction and attendance engagement—and apply those lessons to address the middle school's stagnation, as the schools are on opposite trajectories with the high school rapidly improving and the middle school declining.