St. Landry Parish Receives National Recognition for Excellent High Schools

St. Landry Parish, LA, takes immense pride in being an ideal atmosphere in which to plant roots and raise a family. A primary element of that culture and identity is the quality education offered to the community’s children and young adults. Parents will find numerous public and private school options in St. Landry Parish, all striving to provide K-12 education with the highest possible standards. In a testament to the efforts of local leaders and educational professionals, St. Landry Parish is receiving statewide and national recognition, as three institutions in Opelousas and Eunice were ranked by U.S. News & World Report as Top-100 high schools in all of Louisiana.

“Our approach to education is equal parts progressive, innovative and united,” said St. Landry Economic Development Executive Director Bill Rodier. “The results are showing, and the word is out on the top-tier educational opportunities available to our community’s students. From incorporating more technology into the classroom and fostering high graduation rates to giving students more opportunities in career-related training, we believe our schools’ acknowledgment as some of the best in Louisiana is well-earned.”

St. Landry Parish’s Recognized Schools

Magnet Academy for Cultural Arts (MACA) in Opelousas checked in at No. 7 public high school in Louisiana. MACA’s education in core subjects (math, science, social studies, etc.) is augmented by instruction in six talent areas: band, chorus, creative writing, dance, drama, and visual art. Featuring a 9th-12th grade enrollment of 181 students (while open to students beginning in 7th grade), MACA has a graduation rate north of 95%.

Eunice High School, with a high-school enrollment of 664, ranked No. 80 in Louisiana. Also boasting a graduation rate of at least 95%, over 20% of Eunice’s students take at least one AP or BI course. Out of the eight public high schools in St. Landry Parish, Eunice ranked No. 2.

The final St. Landry Parish institution recognized as one of the best in Louisiana was Northwest High School in Opelousas, which earned a No. 120 statewide ranking. Enrollment in grades 9 through 12 is 597, of which 77% are minority students.

Rankings Explained

Six indicators with corresponding weights were used to compile the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings and scores:

• College Readiness (30%): Measured by the proportion of a school’s seniors who took and earned a qualifying score on Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.
• State Assessment Proficiency (20%): Aggregation of standardized test scores in math, science and reading, compared with other schools in Louisiana.
• State Assessment Performance (20%): Also derived from math, science and reading scores, but compared with U.S. News’ expectations based on the proportion of students who are Black, Hispanic and from low-income households. 
• Underserved Student Performance (10%): Assessment of learning outcomes among students from underserved subgroups of Black, Hispanic and low-income households.
• College Curriculum Breadth (10%): Proportional analysis of 12th graders who took, and earned qualifying scores on, multiple AP or IB exams.
• Graduation Rate (10%): The proportion of 9th-graders who graduated four academic years later.

Students Come First in St. Landry Parish

Far-reaching benefits accompany a top-tier educational experience, and that’s exactly what St. Landry Parish aims to offer its students of all backgrounds. For more information on the public, private and post-secondary institutions in the immediate area, click here or contact St. Landry Economic Development with any questions.