Tensas High School

Summary:

Tensas High School is a public high school located in Saint Joseph, Louisiana, serving grades 6-12 with a relatively small student population of 169 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school is part of the Tensas Parish school district, which is ranked 84 out of 122 districts in Louisiana and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Tensas High School has consistently ranked in the bottom third of Louisiana high schools over the past decade, with a current ranking of 308 out of 333 high schools in the state for the 2023-2024 school year.

Tensas High School's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is significantly below the state and parish averages across various subjects and grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in LEAP Mathematics and English Language Arts for all grades were 43% and 55%, respectively, compared to the state averages of 59% and 69%. The school's performance is particularly low in subjects like Geometry (15% proficient), U.S. History (10% proficient), and Biology (15% proficient). Additionally, the school's performance on standardized tests is consistently lower for subgroups such as African American students, male students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds compared to the state averages for those subgroups.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.8 to 13 students per teacher over the past three school years, Tensas High School's academic outcomes have not significantly improved. The school has experienced a slight decline in its student population, from 181 students in the 2020-2021 school year to 169 students in the 2022-2023 school year, and the racial composition of the student body has shifted, with the percentage of African American students decreasing from 90.27% in 2020-2021 to 84.62% in the current school year. These persistent challenges suggest the need for a comprehensive review of the school's educational strategies, resource allocation, and support systems to address the unique needs of its student population and improve student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-12

 720 Plank Road
       Saint Joseph, LA  71366


(318) 766-3585

District: Tensas Parish

SchoolDigger Rank:
308th of 333 Louisiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $25,275 Help


Feeder schools for Tensas High School:

Elementary:    Tensas Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.0 Help
Number of students:  169

Racial breakdown:

African American:
84.6%
White:
13.0%
Hispanic:
1.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  82.8% Help


 See top rated Louisiana high schools

 Compare Tensas High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Tensas High School ranks worse than 77.1% of middle schools in Louisiana. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.62. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details Tensas High School ranks worse than 92.5% of high schools in Louisiana. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.95. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (84.6%), White (13%), Hispanic (1.2%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 82.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tensas High School is 13. (See more...)
Help
Compare Tensas High School employs 12.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tensas High School is $25,275.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Tensas High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Tensas High School 346th of 449 Louisiana public middle schools. (See Tensas High School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Tensas High School 308th of 333 Louisiana public high schools. (See Tensas High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Male students:
African American students:


Tensas Parish:

SchoolDigger ranks Tensas Parish 84th of 122 Louisiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Tensas High School?

Rank History for Tensas High School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2007 14.05 358th 396 9.6%
2008 12.96 376th 413 9.0%
2009 25.18 348th 425 18.1%
2010 23.25 352nd 408 13.7%
2011 9.70 399th 412 3.2%
2012 9.90 410th 442 7.2%
2013 9.89 421st 457 7.9%
2014 14.59 417th 470 11.3%
2015 25.62 379th 482 21.4%
2016 25.38 349th 435 19.8%
2017 28.93 336th 437 23.1%
2019 8.31 417th 449 7.1%
2021 9.86 414th 459 9.8%
2022 8.12 426th 460 7.4%
2023 17.21 395th 465 15.1%
2024 25.62 346th 449 22.9%
See the entire list of Louisiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 6.22 417th 430 3.0%
2021 7.97 425th 455 6.6%
2022 6.12 439th 458 4.1%
2023 17.76 386th 459 15.9%
2024 31.73 315th 444 29.1%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 12.20 389th 418 6.9%
2021 12.63 393rd 441 10.9%
2023 30.20 331st 444 25.5%
2024 36.63 283rd 415 31.8%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 12.72 378th 418 9.6%
2021 6.82 417th 442 5.7%
2022 3.00 434th 442 1.8%
2023 8.76 417th 443 5.9%
2024 24.93 334th 426 21.6%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.41 236th 313 24.6%
2019 10.89 326th 338 3.6%
2021 17.78 306th 352 13.1%
2022 12.72 330th 360 8.3%
2023 27.91 268th 360 25.6%
2024 40.52 198th 333 40.5%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Tensas High School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2007 9.38 276th 290 4.8%
2008 10.28 273rd 291 6.2%
2009 27.92 241st 301 19.9%
2010 32.26 234th 297 21.2%
2011 36.93 232nd 300 22.7%
2012 17.73 283rd 310 8.7%
2013 5.62 300th 312 3.8%
2014 17.63 279th 309 9.7%
2015 29.50 260th 312 16.7%
2016 25.36 259th 297 12.8%
2017 12.96 280th 297 5.7%
2018 10.14 275th 302 8.9%
2019 11.93 279th 313 10.9%
2021 11.06 282nd 322 12.4%
2022 7.89 296th 326 9.2%
2023 13.08 273rd 321 15.0%
2024 5.95 308th 333 7.5%
See the entire list of Louisiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 21.05 246th 301 18.3%
2021 14.86 251st 285 11.9%
2022 8.06 299th 322 7.1%
2023 13.69 278th 321 13.4%
2024 4.27 312th 328 4.9%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 17.07 246th 292 15.8%
2021 12.52 255th 288 11.5%
2022 19.38 257th 311 17.4%
2023 15.29 268th 308 13.0%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 14.33 252nd 291 13.4%
2021 14.27 247th 292 15.4%
2022 6.96 279th 301 7.3%
2023 10.37 270th 306 11.8%
2024 4.40 301st 315 4.4%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Tensas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools LA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 19.49 197th 233 15.5%
2021 23.17 193rd 243 20.6%
2022 17.17 222nd 256 13.3%
2023 23.12 200th 252 20.6%
2024 13.63 228th 260 12.3%
See the entire list of Best Louisiana High Schools for African American 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.

Tensas High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: Louisiana Dept of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Tensas High School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Tensas High School, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Tensas High School

Help
Compare
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 176 176
1990 21 148 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 169
1991 36 145 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 181
1992 36 155 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 191
1993 39 152 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 191
1994 29 165 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 194
1995 24 154 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 181
1996 24 154 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 181
1997 20 157 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 180
1998 21 140 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 164
1999 18 277 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 295
2000 11 204 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 215
2001 17 192 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 210
2002 12 176 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 188
2003 12 176 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 188
2004 7 191 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 198
2005 6 184 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 190
2006 5 195 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 200
2007 11 243 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 257
2008 10 235 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 248
2009 16 217 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 237
2010 13 203 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 221
2011 12 194 0 6 0 0 1 0 213
2012 10 228 0 4 0 0 0 0 242
2013 22 230 0 2 0 0 1 0 255
2014 21 234 0 1 0 0 1 0 257
2015 21 225 0 3 0 0 3 0 252
2016 18 222 0 1 0 0 1 0 242
2017 27 234 2 1 0 0 2 0 266
2018 26 234 0 2 0 0 4 0 266
2019 23 216 0 1 0 0 5 0 245
2020 16 192 0 2 0 0 5 0 215
2021 14 167 0 1 0 0 3 0 185
2022 13 165 0 2 0 0 2 0 182
2023 22 143 0 2 0 0 2 0 169

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 Tensas High School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 176 21.0 8.3 81.8
1990 169 20.0 8.4 78.1
1991 181 21.0 8.6 81.2
1992 191 21.0 9.0 81.7
1993 191 21.0 9.1 81.7
1994 194 21.0 9.2 76.3
1995 181 17.0 10.6 81.2
1996 181 17.0 10.6 81.2
1997 180 12.9 14.0 75
1998 164 16.0 10.3 70.1
1999 295 25.0 11.8 92.9
2000 215 20.0 10.8 92.6
2001 210 20.0 10.5 88.1
2002 188 18.2 10.3 88.3
2003 188 18.2 10.3 88.3
2004 198 18.0 11.0 85.4
2005 190 17.7 10.7 95.8
2006 200 17.6 11.4 90.5
2007 257 21.3 12.1 89.9
2008 248 23.2 10.7 84.7
2009 237 21.7 10.9 89.9
2010 221 23.3 9.4 90.5
2011 213 20.4 10.4 89.7
2012 242 19.6 12.2 93.8
2013 255 20.7 12.3 92.2
2014 257 22.6 11.3 93
2015 252 21.0 12.0 96.4
2016 242 n/a n/a 100
2017 266 28.4 9.3 94.7
2018 266 18.5 14.3 96.6
2019 245 17.5 13.9 71.8
2020 215 13.0 16.4 79.5
2021 185 17.0 10.8 81.1
2022 182 14.7 12.3 79.1
2023 169 12.9 13.0 82.8

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 Tensas High School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 176 21.0 8.3 81.8
1990 169 20.0 8.4 78.1
1991 181 21.0 8.6 81.2
1992 191 21.0 9.0 81.7
1993 191 21.0 9.1 81.7
1994 194 21.0 9.2 76.3
1995 181 17.0 10.6 81.2
1996 181 17.0 10.6 81.2
1997 180 12.9 14.0 75
1998 164 16.0 10.3 70.1
1999 295 25.0 11.8 92.9
2000 215 20.0 10.8 92.6
2001 210 20.0 10.5 88.1
2002 188 18.2 10.3 88.3
2003 188 18.2 10.3 88.3
2004 198 18.0 11.0 85.4
2005 190 17.7 10.7 95.8
2006 200 17.6 11.4 90.5
2007 257 21.3 12.1 89.9
2008 248 23.2 10.7 84.7
2009 237 21.7 10.9 89.9
2010 221 23.3 9.4 90.5
2011 213 20.4 10.4 89.7
2012 242 19.6 12.2 93.8
2013 255 20.7 12.3 92.2
2014 257 22.6 11.3 93
2015 252 21.0 12.0 96.4
2016 242 n/a n/a 100
2017 266 28.4 9.3 94.7
2018 266 18.5 14.3 96.6
2019 245 17.5 13.9 71.8
2020 215 13.0 16.4 79.5
2021 185 17.0 10.8 81.1
2022 182 14.7 12.3 79.1
2023 169 12.9 13.0 82.8

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 Tensas High School

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2017 $14,527
2018 $15,999
2019 $17,674
2020 $18,035
2021 $21,208
2022 $25,275

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Tensas High 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 417th of 449 Middle schoolsRanks 395th of 465 Middle schools
 7.9%
Ranks 279th of 313 High schoolsRanks 273rd of 321 High schools
 4.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Tensas High School)1631
 15%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Tensas Parish)1631
 15%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)6157
 4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Tensas High School)3957
 18%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Tensas Parish)3957
 18%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)6768
 1%
6th Grade Social Studies (Tensas High School)1625
 9%
   6th Grade Social Studies (Tensas Parish)1625
 9%
   6th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)5142
 9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Tensas High School)2127
 6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Tensas Parish)2127
 6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)6157
 4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Tensas High School)2146
 25%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Tensas Parish)2146
 25%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)7267
 5%
7th Grade Social Studies (Tensas High School)732
 25%
   7th Grade Social Studies (Tensas Parish)732
 25%
   7th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)5552
 3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Tensas High School)3137
 6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Tensas Parish)3137
 6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)5347
 6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Tensas High School)4850
 2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Tensas Parish)4850
 2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)7170
 1%
8th Grade Social Studies (Tensas High School)5519
 36%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Tensas Parish)5519
 36%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)6453
 11%
End of Course Algebra I (Tensas High School)2617
 9%
   End of Course Algebra I (Tensas Parish)2617
 9%
   End of Course Algebra I (Louisiana)6764
 3%
End of Course Geometry (Tensas High School)813
 5%
   End of Course Geometry (Tensas Parish)813
 5%
   End of Course Geometry (Louisiana)6861
 7%
End of Course English II (Tensas High School)3760
 23%
   End of Course English II (Tensas Parish)3760
 23%
   End of Course English II (Louisiana)6967
 2%
End of Course English I (Tensas High School)6447
 17%
   End of Course English I (Tensas Parish)6447
 17%
   End of Course English I (Louisiana)7167
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students245169
 31%
African American216143
 33.8%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic12
 100%
Pacific Islander00
White2322
 4.3%
Two or More Races52
 60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients71.8%82.8%
 11%


Schools Near Tensas High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Tensas High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 169 students attended Tensas High School.

Students at Tensas High School are 85% African American, 13% White, 1% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

Tensas High School ranks in the bottom 7.5% of Louisiana high schools.

Tensas High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Tensas Elementary School


Rate Tensas High School!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Tensas High School!




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.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 34 milliseconds.