Concordia Parish

The schools in Concordia Parish, Louisiana serve a diverse student population across 10 schools, including 4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools, and 2 alternative schools. While the district faces challenges with high poverty rates and achievement gaps, there are also standout schools like Monterey High School and Vidalia Upper Elementary School that are excelling academically.

Monterey High School, an alternative school, stands out with exceptional academic performance, with 82-92% of students proficient or better in math and 80-90% proficient or better in English Language Arts. In contrast, Ferriday High School and Ferriday Junior High have the lowest proficiency rates in the district, well below the state averages. This stark disparity in academic performance suggests that students in Concordia Parish have vastly different educational experiences depending on which school they attend.

The data also reveals a strong correlation between poverty and educational outcomes, with the schools serving the highest rates of free/reduced lunch (over 80%) also tending to have the lowest academic performance. However, there are pockets of excellence, such as Vidalia Upper Elementary School, which ranks in the top 40% of Louisiana elementary schools despite the challenges faced by its student population. Understanding the factors that contribute to the success of these schools could provide valuable insights for improving performance at other schools in the Concordia Parish district.