Though Louisiana isn’t among the top states in terms of public education, it is home to a handful of school districts that excel in academics and co-curricular activities. Here’s a closer look at Louisiana’s five best school districts. 

Plaquemines Parish School System is the best school district in Louisiana. The district is headquartered in Belle Chasse and administers over seven schools and a learning center. PPSS is the top district in the state in proficiency rates on End of Course tests, and in the top ten in average ACT composite scores. 

Earning Louisiana’s #2 spot is Zachary Community School District, which comprises six schools and an early learning center in the city of Zachary, a suburb of state capital Baton Rouge. Despite being the fastest-growing school district in the state, ZCSD has performed well in the areas of academics, extracurricular activities, and athletics since its founding in 2003. 

Louisiana’s 3rd best school district is DeSoto Parish Schools, which is headquartered in Mansfield and consists of nine schools. DPS maintains a standard of excellence and is continually improving, with two-thirds of its schools earning an “A” grade in the area of student achievement progress.  

Placing 4th is Jefferson Davis Parish Schools, a district of thirteen schools headquartered in the city of Jennings, the parish seat of Jefferson Davis Parish. The district counts a 92.5% graduation rate among its accolades. 

Lincoln Parish Schools is Louisiana’s 5th best public school system. Headquartered in Ruston, LPS is a large district comprising thirteen schools in Ruston and several adjacent communities. The district’s 96% graduation rate and high proficiency scores are well above state averages. 

Top School Districts in Louisiana, 2020

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.