Best Public Schools in New Orleans, LA

The city of New Orleans, Louisiana is home to a diverse array of 79 schools, including 45 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 26 high schools, and 7 alternative schools. The majority of these schools are public charter schools, with a mix of traditional public schools as well. The schools in New Orleans serve a wide range of student populations, exhibiting significant racial and socioeconomic diversity.

Some of the standout schools in the city include Benjamin Franklin High School, which is consistently ranked among the top high schools in the state, and Lake Forest Elementary Charter School, which also performs exceptionally well academically. These high-performing schools serve diverse student populations, with Benjamin Franklin High School having a racial makeup of 37.81% white, 30.27% African American, 8.7% Hispanic, and 19.05% Asian, and Lake Forest Elementary Charter School serving a student body that is 84.4% African American.

In contrast, the data reveals a significant achievement gap, with several low-performing schools, such as Wilson Charter School, Robert Russa Moton Charter School, and McDonogh 42 Charter School, struggling with proficiency rates well below the state averages. This disparity in academic performance appears to be linked to socioeconomic factors, as the highest-performing schools tend to have lower free and reduced lunch rates, indicating a higher socioeconomic status among their student populations.