Ouachita Parish School Board announces 2024-25 School Performance Scores

Ouachita Parish School Board released its School and District Performance Scores for the 2024-2025 school year on Thursday morning.

Superintendent Todd Guice is pleased to announce that 20 of its schools improved their school performance score, with Shady Grove Elementary leading the entire state with a 19.6-point improvement.

“Today’s results affirm what we’ve believed all year: that the collective efforts of our students and teachers drive success,” Guice said. “From district-wide gains to the spotlight placed on Shady Grove Elementary as the top growth school in Louisiana, Ouachita Parish Schools are moving up—and moving up together. I am super proud of our students and employees.  Growth and success is a TEAM effort!”

The district as a whole improved by 0.7 points, marking the 26th straight year to outperform the state. Ouachita Parish had 69 percent of its schools improve their assessment or progress index with 13 schools improving their state performance score by 3 points or more.

Fifteen schools were recognized as Top Gains Honorees. This honor is defined as schools that demonstrate exceptional student progress and ensure that students meet or exceed their learning goals each year.

Top Gains Honorees:

● Boley Elementary School

● Calhoun Elementary School

● Central Elementary School

● Claiborne Elementary School

● Drew Elementary School

● George Welch Elementary School

● Kiroli Elementary School

● Sterlington Elementary School

● Woodlawn Elementary School

● Pinecrest Elementary/Middle School

● Good Hope Middle School

● West Ridge Middle School

● Woodlawn Junior High School

● Sterlington High School

● West Ouachita High School

Sterlington High School was also named an Opportunity Honoree for performing in the 90th percentile or above with students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students or English learner. OPSB was named a Top 15 District for English Language Proficiency Test.

All Ouachita Parish middle and high schools scored a C or higher, and all high schools had no failing subgroups. In fact, 89 percent of Ouachita Parish schools improved their “students with disabilities” SPS subgroup.

Louisiana Highlights: Louisiana’s statewide performance score is 80.9, an increase of more than five points since 2021 (75.3) and nearly a full point above last year’s score of 80.2.

Statewide results held steady or improved across all index areas. Overall, 21 percent of schools earned a letter grade of A, 31 percent earned a B, 32 percent earned a C, 12 percent earned a D, and 4 percent earned an F. Forty-four percent of elementary and middle schools earned an A or B and 70 percent of high schools earned an A or B.

“Four years of steady growth is a testament to Louisiana teachers, leaders, students, and families,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “This progress shows what’s possible when we remain focused on strong instruction and improved academic outcomes.”

This year’s release is the final set of official results calculated using the current accountability formula. Beginning next year, Louisiana will transition to a revised system, Grow. Achieve. Thrive. Schools and systems will be measured using a straightforward scorecard organized around three clear expectations for every student:

● Grow: Students should make meaningful academic progress every year

● Achieve: Students should reach proficiency in key subjects

● Thrive: Students should graduate on time and be prepared for a career, college, or service.

Because the new model raises expectations and uses different measures than the current formula, some schools and systems may see a change in their letter grades. These shifts reflect the establishment of a new statewide baseline under a higher bar.

As with any major change, the first year of implementation serves as a reset point from which future growth will be measured. To support the transition, the Louisiana Department of Education has produced simulated 2025 performance scores using the revised formula. These simulations are not official results, but provide schools and systems with a preview of how the new model will impact current performance.

Under the new system, which goes into effect for the 2025-26 school year, Ouachita Parish would have 5 schools improving by a letter grade, 7 schools dropping by a letter grade, and 2 schools dropping by two letter grades.

“The simulated scores that are being released today do not represent a decline in performance,” Guice said. “They show a shift in how performance is shown in our schools.  These reporting changes will be particularly impactful to our high schools and how their scores are presented. Since this is such a drastic change in the representation of our schools’ performance, the district will be sharing more detailed information on what these results mean and what our stakeholders can expect in the future.”