Public schools in Louisiana

The NCES directory lists 1,308 public schools operating in Louisiana in 2024-25; 1,277 of them reported 657,904 students, averaging 13.5 students per teacher, tied for 29th with Arkansas and Illinois of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Jefferson Parish, with 46,790 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools1,277685 elementary, 219 middle, 265 high, 108 other
Students657,9041.4% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher13.5U.S. 15.3

Louisiana has fewer students per teacher than the U.S. average

Louisiana ranks 29th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. Virginia13.8
  2. Arkansas13.5
  3. Illinois13.5
  4. Louisiana13.5
  5. Pennsylvania13.3
  6. South Dakota13.3
  7. West Virginia13.3

Eight in ten larger Louisiana districts spent between $12,202 and $19,342 per student

Among the 84 Louisiana districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $12,202 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $19,342; the median was $14,478. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Louisiana districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2384 values from $10,088 to $39,996; ; state median $14,478.$12,202$19,342the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,478
Current spending per student, Louisiana districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2384 values from $10,088 to $39,996; ; state median $14,478.$12,202$19,342the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,478
Current spending per student, Louisiana districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2384 values from $10,088 to $39,996; ; state median $14,478.$12,202$19,342the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,478
Current spending per student, Louisiana districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2384 values from $10,088 to $39,996; ; state median $14,478.$12,202$19,342the middle eight in ten1 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,478

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 43% of the Louisiana students tested met the state's reading standard and 34% its math standard. Louisiana writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Louisiana's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 82.6% of 50,762 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Louisiana almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: University View Academy Inc. (FRM LA Connections), 3,725 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, 3.4 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Orleans Parish, $39,996 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Mildred Osborne Charter School, $116,321 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology, 0.4% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Gibsland-Coleman High School, 73 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Cameron Parish, 61 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Louisiana

  1. Jefferson Parish46,790
  2. East Baton Rouge Parish37,787
  3. St. Tammany Parish35,956
  4. Caddo Parish32,165
  5. Lafayette Parish29,065
  6. Calcasieu Parish27,851
  7. Livingston Parish26,499
  8. Ascension Parish22,366

Every Louisiana school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Baton Rouge51,320 students90 schools
  2. New Orleans45,581 students71 schools
  3. Shreveport30,671 students51 schools
  4. Monroe14,059 students34 schools
  5. Lake Charles18,558 students34 schools
  6. Lafayette20,883 students29 schools
  7. Alexandria9,469 students22 schools
  8. Houma11,306 students21 schools
  9. Slidell13,582 students20 schools
  10. Bossier City12,710 students20 schools
  11. West Monroe9,310 students18 schools
  12. Metairie10,926 students18 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Louisiana's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Louisiana?
    The NCES directory lists 1,308 operating in 2024-25; 1,277 of them reported students: 685 elementary, 219 middle, 265 high and 108 other, enrolling 657,904 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Louisiana?
    13.5 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Louisiana?
    Jefferson Parish, with 46,790 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Louisiana spend per public-school student?
    $14,742 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .