Southern University Lab School

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana - 2 schools

An equity score of 40/100 ranks Southern University Lab School #122 of 175 districts in Louisiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $6,567 per pupil, Southern University Lab School ranks #188 of 188 Louisiana districts by per-pupil spending (Louisiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

836
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$6,567
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Southern University Lab School operates 2 public schools serving 836 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Louisiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $6,567 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 19 of 188 Louisiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Louisiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 21.6% local, 68.2% state, and 10.2% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 40/100, ranked #122 of 175 in Louisiana against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 388.5:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 7.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.7% African American, 18.0% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Southern University Lab School, enrolling 478 students (62% of the district's total enrollment).

Southern University Lab School accounts for 57.2% of all Southern University Lab School student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Southern University Lab School a distant remainder — means Southern University Lab School-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Southern University Lab School has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 57.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Southern University Lab School student-counselor ratio is 389:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Southern University Lab School chronic absenteeism rate is 7.5% — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

10.2%
Federal
68.2%
State
21.6%
Local

Funding Equity

40
Equity Score
122 / 175
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Southern University Lab School.

White 18.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
African American 74.7%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 3.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 2
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
388.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
7.5%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Southern University Lab School

School Enrollment
Southern University Lab School
478
Southern University Laboratory Virtual School
299

How Southern University Lab School Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Louisiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Arthur Ashe Charter School Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Bricolage Academy Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Dr Martin Luther King Charter School for Sci Tech Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Mcdonogh 35 Senior High School Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Phillis Wheatley Community School Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Southern University Lab School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Louisiana

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Jefferson Parish
50,628 students · 82 schools · $16,675/pupil
Compare vs Southern University Lab School →
East Baton Rouge Parish
43,253 students · 83 schools · $15,604/pupil
Compare vs Southern University Lab School →
St. Tammany Parish
39,559 students · 55 schools · $14,024/pupil
Compare vs Southern University Lab School →
Caddo Parish
36,147 students · 59 schools · $14,387/pupil
Compare vs Southern University Lab School →
Lafayette Parish
32,377 students · 45 schools · $11,837/pupil
Compare vs Southern University Lab School →

Compare Southern University Lab School

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Jefferson Parish →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Southern University Lab School?

Southern University Lab School has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 836 students.

How much does Southern University Lab School spend per student?

Southern University Lab School spends $6,567 per student. The district has an equity score of 40/100, ranking #122 in Louisiana.

What is the demographic composition of Southern University Lab School?

Southern University Lab School students are 74.7% African American, 18.0% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Southern University Lab School?

Southern University Lab School has an equity score of 40/100, ranking #122 out of 175 districts in Louisiana.