Middle Schools in Ouachita Parish

The Ouachita Parish school district in Louisiana is home to 9 middle schools serving grades 6-8. These schools vary significantly in their academic performance, with a few standout institutions leading the way and several others struggling to meet state standards.

At the top of the pack are West Ridge Middle School, Good Hope Middle School, and Sterlington Middle School, all of which rank among the best in Ouachita Parish and the state of Louisiana. These schools boast exceptional test scores, with 70-90% of students proficient or better in Math and English Language Arts. In contrast, Riser Middle School, Ouachita Junior High School, and Richwood Junior High School struggle to keep up, with proficiency rates often below 50%.

The performance gaps between these schools appear to be closely tied to their student demographics and socioeconomic factors. The top-performing schools tend to have higher percentages of white students and lower rates of free/reduced lunch eligibility, while the lower-performing schools serve predominantly African American populations from more economically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, there are a few exceptions, such as Calhoun Middle School and Woodlawn Middle School, which demonstrate that strong academic outcomes are possible even in more diverse settings.