
The Bayou State’s top school districts are spread out all across its confines, great school systems are located in the Baton Rouge area, the New Orleans metro area, and other regions further west. Owing to its old world influence, Louisiana is the only U.S. state whose political subdivisions are referred to as parishes, and many of its school districts are named after the parish in which they are based. As a whole, the state’s school districts have steadily improved in recent years.
Louisiana's highest ranked school district is Zachary Community School District, serving Zachary, LA, a city located 15 miles north of capital city Baton Rouge. Founded in 2003, ZCSD was named the #1 district in the state for a remarkable 11 years in a row through 2016, and continues to grow faster than any district in the state.
The #2 school district in the state is West Feliciana Parish Public Schools, based in St. Francisville, LA, and serving parts of other surrounding communities, as well. Unique for a public school district, West Feliciana requires all of its students to wear uniforms. The district’s schools regularly excel in both academics and athletics on the state level.
St. Tammamy Parish Public Schools places third among the state’s districts. In 2017, St. Tammamy once again maintained its “A” rating given by the Louisiana Department of Education.
Hit hard by Hurricane Katrina back in 2005, Plaquemines Parish School Board has overcome adversity to be named the state’s #4 best school district.
Rounding out the top five is Ascension Parish School Board, a large system of 27 schools based in Donaldsonville, LA,.
Top School Districts in Louisiana, 2018
State Rank | School District | State |
---|---|---|
1 | Zachary Community School District | Louisiana |
2 | West Feliciana Parish | Louisiana |
3 | St. Tammany Parish | Louisiana |
4 | Plaquemines Parish | Louisiana |
5 | Ascension Parish | Louisiana |
6 | St. Charles Parish | Louisiana |
7 | Livingston Parish | Louisiana |
8 | Vernon Parish | Louisiana |
9 | St. Bernard Parish | Louisiana |
10 | Allen Parish | Louisiana |
11 | Bossier Parish | Louisiana |
12 | Ouachita Parish | Louisiana |
13 | Lasalle Parish | Louisiana |
14 | Calcasieu Parish | Louisiana |
15 | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana |
16 | Beauregard Parish | Louisiana |
17 | Jefferson Davis Parish | Louisiana |
18 | Vermilion Parish | Louisiana |
19 | St. James Parish | Louisiana |
20 | Cameron Parish | Louisiana |
21 | Grant Parish | Louisiana |
22 | Lafourche Parish | Louisiana |
23 | Terrebonne Parish | Louisiana |
24 | Acadia Parish | Louisiana |
25 | Rapides Parish | Louisiana |
26 | Iberville Parish | Louisiana |
27 | Lincoln Parish | Louisiana |
28 | Jefferson Parish | Louisiana |
29 | Desoto Parish | Louisiana |
30 | St. Mary Parish | Louisiana |
31 | Sabine Parish | Louisiana |
32 | West Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana |
33 | Iberia Parish | Louisiana |
34 | St. John The Baptist Parish | Louisiana |
35 | Winn Parish | Louisiana |
36 | Assumption Parish | Louisiana |
37 | West Carroll Parish | Louisiana |
38 | St. Martin Parish | Louisiana |
39 | Caldwell Parish | Louisiana |
40 | Evangeline Parish | Louisiana |
41 | East Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana |
42 | Jackson Parish | Louisiana |
43 | Richland Parish | Louisiana |
44 | Washington Parish | Louisiana |
45 | Catahoula Parish | Louisiana |
46 | Pointe Coupee Parish | Louisiana |
47 | Avoyelles Parish | Louisiana |
48 | Webster Parish | Louisiana |
49 | Orleans Parish | Louisiana |
50 | Tangipahoa Parish | Louisiana |
51 | Bienville Parish | Louisiana |
52 | Caddo Parish | Louisiana |
53 | Natchitoches Parish | Louisiana |
54 | East Feliciana Parish | Louisiana |
55 | Red River Parish | Louisiana |
56 | Concordia Parish | Louisiana |
57 | City Of Monroe School District | Louisiana |
58 | St. Landry Parish | Louisiana |
59 | Union Parish | Louisiana |
60 | Franklin Parish | Louisiana |
61 | Morehouse Parish | Louisiana |
62 | City Of Bogalusa School District | Louisiana |
63 | Tensas Parish | Louisiana |
64 | Claiborne Parish | Louisiana |
65 | East Carroll Parish | Louisiana |
66 | City Of Baker School District | Louisiana |
67 | Madison Parish | Louisiana |
68 | St. Helena Parish | Louisiana |
Methodology
The following contributed to the ranking: student performance (math and reading test scores), dropout rates, school funding, and area poverty rates. Data was collected from a total of 9,577 school districts.
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