J. I. Watson Elementary School

Summary:

J. I. Watson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Iowa, Louisiana, serving 522 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Calcasieu Parish school district.

J. I. Watson has a relatively balanced racial makeup, with 48.47% White, 42.15% African American, and smaller percentages of other races. Academically, the school's performance is mixed - while 4th graders excel in Math (82% proficient) and English Language Arts (81% proficient), the school's overall proficiency rates in Math (63%) and ELA (67%) lag behind the district averages. The school performs well for African American and Special Education students, but struggles with White students and those from low-income backgrounds.

Compared to nearby schools, J. I. Watson outperforms those with higher percentages of minority and economically disadvantaged students, but lags behind higher-performing schools like LeBleu Settlement Elementary. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, suggesting some instability, though it has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past two years. Understanding these nuances can help the school and district identify areas for targeted improvement and support.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 201 E First St
       Iowa, LA  70647


(337) 217-4670

District: Calcasieu Parish

SchoolDigger Rank:
296th of 675 Louisiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,953 Help


Students who attend J. I. Watson Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Iowa High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.5 Help
Number of students:  522

Racial breakdown:

White:
48.5%
African American:
42.1%
Hispanic:
5.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  71.8% Help


 See top rated Louisiana elementary schools

 Compare J. I. Watson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details J. I. Watson Elementary School ranks better than 56.1% of elementary schools in Louisiana. It also ranks 17th among 30 ranked elementary schools in the Calcasieu Parish School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.04. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (48.5%), African American (42.1%), Hispanic (5.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 71.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at J. I. Watson Elementary School is 15.5, which is the 15th best among 30 elementary schools in the Calcasieu Parish School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare J. I. Watson Elementary School employs 33.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at J. I. Watson Elementary School is $14,953. 18 elementary schools in the Calcasieu Parish School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

J. I. Watson Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks J. I. Watson Elementary School 296th of 675 Louisiana public elementary schools. (See J. I. Watson Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Calcasieu Parish:

SchoolDigger ranks Calcasieu Parish 34th of 122 Louisiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for J. I. Watson Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2007 40.54 467th 725 35.6%
2008 49.00 415th 743 44.1%
2009 50.66 418th 738 43.4%
2010 54.50 382nd 736 48.1%
2011 54.12 403rd 766 47.4%
2012 50.60 414th 764 45.8%
2013 50.60 411th 772 46.8%
2014 43.09 475th 777 38.9%
2015 43.28 489th 792 38.3%
2016 31.50 553rd 742 25.5%
2017 44.53 452nd 739 38.8%
2018 50.89 336th 728 53.8%
2019 49.50 389th 731 46.8%
2021 47.71 391st 729 46.4%
2022 47.99 396th 727 45.5%
2023 58.03 330th 730 54.8%
2024 59.04 296th 675 56.1%
See the entire list of Louisiana Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 49.68 159th 333 52.3%
2021 19.12 268th 306 12.4%
2022 42.38 181st 307 41.0%
2023 72.71 61st 296 79.4%
2024 55.17 80th 208 61.5%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.54 347th 682 49.1%
2019 47.61 395th 697 43.3%
2021 52.21 351st 719 51.2%
2022 37.71 469th 724 35.2%
2023 58.61 308th 723 57.4%
2024 58.92 293rd 674 56.5%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 53.50 342nd 684 50.0%
2021 56.02 331st 705 53.0%
2022 53.55 341st 701 51.4%
2023 49.05 376th 705 46.7%
2024 47.36 364th 635 42.7%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.13 169th 281 39.9%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 49.49 392nd 696 43.7%
2021 47.01 385th 704 45.3%
2022 47.73 390th 712 45.2%
2023 67.58 233rd 713 67.3%
2024 57.49 295th 651 54.7%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.98 182nd 547 66.7%
2019 47.66 301st 559 46.2%
2021 50.32 265th 564 53.0%
2022 46.39 290th 562 48.4%
2023 73.14 122nd 570 78.6%
2024 64.24 162nd 509 68.2%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at J. I. Watson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.45 387th 516 25.0%
2019 38.33 370th 517 28.4%
2021 38.71 358th 522 31.4%
2022 31.37 406th 517 21.5%
2023 58.98 226th 518 56.4%
2024 36.84 326th 434 24.9%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Louisiana Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

J. I. Watson Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Louisiana Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for J. I. Watson Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1138 1138
1990 1040 167 1 1 2 n/a n/a 0 1211
1991 1047 185 1 1 3 n/a n/a 0 1237
1992 1050 220 0 1 2 n/a n/a 0 1273
1993 1008 214 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 1224
1994 1012 222 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 1236
1995 1001 240 0 2 5 n/a n/a 0 1248
1996 1001 240 0 2 5 n/a n/a 0 1248
1997 1038 241 9 4 1 n/a n/a 0 1293
1998 1023 241 11 2 2 n/a n/a 0 1279
1999 996 225 6 3 2 n/a n/a 0 1232
2000 1000 233 3 6 2 n/a n/a 0 1244
2001 1010 229 6 8 2 n/a n/a 0 1255
2002 664 190 2 13 0 n/a n/a 0 869
2003 664 190 2 13 0 n/a n/a 0 869
2004 649 181 2 12 0 n/a n/a 0 844
2005 647 229 5 13 2 n/a n/a 0 896
2006 633 213 6 12 2 n/a n/a 0 866
2007 627 263 4 16 3 n/a n/a 0 913
2008 626 283 5 19 3 n/a n/a 0 936
2009 661 309 7 19 3 n/a n/a 0 999
2010 639 314 6 22 3 n/a n/a 0 984
2011 598 319 6 18 2 0 2 0 945
2012 597 329 7 25 2 0 14 0 974
2013 564 338 4 28 1 1 21 0 957
2014 588 335 3 35 3 1 27 0 992
2015 604 301 3 35 1 3 24 0 971
2016 344 192 2 20 2 0 32 0 592
2017 322 193 1 18 1 0 33 0 568
2018 295 204 2 23 1 0 32 0 557
2019 283 211 3 29 1 0 24 0 551
2020 289 239 2 40 2 0 28 0 600
2021 223 189 1 23 2 0 15 0 453
2022 237 177 1 18 1 0 16 0 450
2023 253 220 1 29 2 0 17 0 522

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at J. I. Watson Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1138 50.0 22.7 39.4
1990 1211 63.0 19.2 36.7
1991 1237 66.0 18.7 35.6
1992 1273 67.0 19.0 37.5
1993 1224 67.0 18.3 36.8
1994 1236 66.0 18.7 40.5
1995 1248 69.6 17.9 35.3
1996 1248 69.6 17.9 35.3
1997 1293 72.0 18.0 29.9
1998 1279 72.0 17.8 38.5
1999 1232 75.0 16.4 50.4
2000 1244 78.0 15.9 54.1
2001 1255 79.0 15.9 56.4
2002 869 61.0 14.2 54
2003 869 61.0 14.2 54
2004 844 57.6 14.7 63
2005 896 57.4 15.6 66.5
2006 866 60.5 14.3 62.6
2007 913 59.6 15.3 65.4
2008 936 65.2 14.4 64.3
2009 999 68.2 14.6 66.8
2010 984 70.4 13.9 67.3
2011 945 69.5 13.5 72.2
2012 974 71.7 13.5 70.9
2013 957 68.6 13.9 73.2
2014 992 70.3 14.1 70.1
2015 971 72.0 13.4 56.2
2016 592 59.0 10.0 49.8
2017 568 40.0 14.1 55.5
2018 557 33.4 16.6 51.2
2019 551 34.0 16.1 61
2020 600 35.8 16.7 66.2
2021 453 34.6 13.0 91.8
2022 450 28.9 15.5 47.3
2023 522 33.6 15.5 71.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio J. I. Watson Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1138 50.0 22.7 39.4
1990 1211 63.0 19.2 36.7
1991 1237 66.0 18.7 35.6
1992 1273 67.0 19.0 37.5
1993 1224 67.0 18.3 36.8
1994 1236 66.0 18.7 40.5
1995 1248 69.6 17.9 35.3
1996 1248 69.6 17.9 35.3
1997 1293 72.0 18.0 29.9
1998 1279 72.0 17.8 38.5
1999 1232 75.0 16.4 50.4
2000 1244 78.0 15.9 54.1
2001 1255 79.0 15.9 56.4
2002 869 61.0 14.2 54
2003 869 61.0 14.2 54
2004 844 57.6 14.7 63
2005 896 57.4 15.6 66.5
2006 866 60.5 14.3 62.6
2007 913 59.6 15.3 65.4
2008 936 65.2 14.4 64.3
2009 999 68.2 14.6 66.8
2010 984 70.4 13.9 67.3
2011 945 69.5 13.5 72.2
2012 974 71.7 13.5 70.9
2013 957 68.6 13.9 73.2
2014 992 70.3 14.1 70.1
2015 971 72.0 13.4 56.2
2016 592 59.0 10.0 49.8
2017 568 40.0 14.1 55.5
2018 557 33.4 16.6 51.2
2019 551 34.0 16.1 61
2020 600 35.8 16.7 66.2
2021 453 34.6 13.0 91.8
2022 450 28.9 15.5 47.3
2023 522 33.6 15.5 71.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for J. I. Watson Elementary School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2017 $11,452
2018 $12,241
2019 $12,332
2020 $12,471
2021 $15,508
2022 $14,953

Data source: Louisiana Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on J. I. Watson Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 389th of 731 Elementary schoolsRanks 330th of 730 Elementary schools
 8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (J. I. Watson Elementary School)5359
 6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Calcasieu Parish)7373
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)6964
 5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (J. I. Watson Elementary School)6977
 8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Calcasieu Parish)7575
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)7062
 8%
3rd Grade Social Studies (J. I. Watson Elementary School)3545
 10%
   3rd Grade Social Studies (Calcasieu Parish)4848
   3rd Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)4744
 3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (J. I. Watson Elementary School)8672
 14%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Calcasieu Parish)8076
 4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)7268
 4%
4th Grade Social Studies (J. I. Watson Elementary School)5743
 14%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Calcasieu Parish)5559
 4%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)5153
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (J. I. Watson Elementary School)6257
 5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Calcasieu Parish)6966
 3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)6359
 4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (J. I. Watson Elementary School)7174
 3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Calcasieu Parish)7675
 1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)7170
 1%
5th Grade Social Studies (J. I. Watson Elementary School)4960
 11%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Calcasieu Parish)5854
 4%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)5448
 6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students551522
 5.3%
African American211220
 4.3%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian31
 66.7%
Hispanic2929
Pacific Islander00
White283253
 10.6%
Two or More Races2417
 29.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients61%71.8%
 10.9%


Schools Near J. I. Watson Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about J. I. Watson Elementary School

J. I. Watson Elementary School ranks 296th of 675 Louisiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 522 students attended J. I. Watson Elementary School.

Students at J. I. Watson Elementary School are 48% White, 42% African American, 6% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Students who attend J. I. Watson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Iowa High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Louisiana Dept of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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