Louisiana

Report ranks Louisiana last for at risk youth, citing unemployment, poverty, health, education

Published

1 year ago

July 25, 2024

Report ranks Louisiana last for at risk youth, citing unemployment, poverty, health, education

A new study ranks Louisiana as the worst state for the highest percentage of at-risk youth, another survey in which the state ranks last in key quality of life metrics.

The WalletHub report released this week showed Louisiana with the highest percentage of at risk youth based on 15 indicators.

Among the WalletHub findings:

Louisiana ranked first in highest percentage of disconnected youth, described as people 18 to 24 who aren’t working or attending school, second in percentage of youth without a high school diploma, 12th in percentage of overweight and obese youth and the third worst youth poverty rate.

Overall, about one in five Louisianians live in poverty and one in five also receive federal food assistance.

“Louisiana is the state with the most at-risk youth, largely because it has the highest share of people ages 18 to 24 who are not attending school, not working and have no degree beyond high school,” WallletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said in a statement. “This represents 17.7% of young adults in the state. In addition, Louisiana has the second-highest share of people ages 18 to 24 without a high school diploma, the third-highest youth poverty rate and the third-highest teen birth rate in the country.”

The WalletHub study follows Louisiana’s ranking last for the second straight year in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best States report, which cited an atmosphere of violent crime, poisonous industrial pollution, poverty and a dwindling population among the state’s hardships.

It also tracks with last year’s Kids Count report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranking Louisiana 49th for child well-being.

More: Most Louisiana residents have negative outlook on direction of state: Here’s why

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

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Louisiana

What is the best elementary school in Louisiana? These 11 rank at top

Published

8 hours ago

November 21, 2025

Press Room

What is the best elementary school in Louisiana? These 11 rank at top

When it comes to primary education, it’s important to choose a school that’s the right fit and offers educational opportunities.

U.S. News & World Report analyzed 103,391 Pre-Kindergarten, elementary and middle schools in order to determine which are the best throughout the U.S.

To do so, U.S. News & World Report assessed schools’ shares of students who were proficient in math and reading scores, and assessed such scores in the context of socioeconomic demographics.

US News & World Report best elementary schools in Louisiana for 2026

U.S. News & World Report analyzed 1,125 elementary schools in Louisiana, and these schools ranked as the 11 best.

1. Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies

Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies in Metairie is ranked as the best elementary school in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. This public elementary school serves Pre-Kindergarten to fifth grade, with a student population of 377 and a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. At this school, 98% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 98% scored at or above the proficient level for reading.

2. T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School

T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School in Lake Charles is ranked as the second best elementary school in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The student population of this schools is 302, and the school serves grades Kindergarten through fifth, with a student-teacher ratio of 19:1. Here, 92% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 98% scored at or above the proficient level for reading.

3. South Highlands Elementary Magnet School

South Highlands Elementary Magnet School in Shreveport is the third best elementary school in Louisiana, according to U.S. News & World Report. This school has a student population of 512 with a student-ration of 16:1, serving grades Pre-Kindergarten through fifth. Ninety-seven percent of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 92% scored at or above the proficient level in reading.

4. Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies

Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies in Gretna is a public school that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. This school has a student population of 366 and a student-teacher ratio of 18:1. Here, 98% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 92% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & Word Report.

5. Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies

Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies is a public school in Metairie that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. This school has a student population of 429 and a student-teacher ratio of 16:1. Ninety-two percent of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and the same percentage scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.

6. Fairfield Magnet School

Fairfield Magnet School is a public school in Shreveport that serves grades Pre-Kindergarten through fifth, with a student-teacher ratio of 15:1. The student population at this school is 528, with 93% scoring at or above the proficient level for math and 91% scoring at or above the proficient level for reading, says U.S. News & World Report.

7. Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School

Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School in Baton Rouge is a public school that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. Here, the student population is 468 and the student-teacher ratio is 14:1. At this school, 92% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 90% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, says U.S. News & World Report.

8. Mayfair Laboratory School

Mayfair Laboratory School in Baton Rouge is a public school that has a student population of 504 and a student-teacher population of 11:1. This school serves grades Kindergarten through eighth, with 88% of students scoring at or above the proficient level for math and 87% scoring at or above the proficient level for reading, says U.S. News & World Report.

9. Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies

Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies is a public school in Westwego that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. The school has a student population of 359 and a student-teacher ratio of 17:1. Here, 87% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and the same percentage scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.

10. Phoenix Magnet Elementary School

Phoenix Magnet Elementary School is a public school in Alexandria that serves Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. This school has a student population of 319 and a student-teacher ratio of 13:1. Seventy-seven percent of students at this school scored at or above the proficient level for math and 92% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.

11. Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary School

Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary School is a public school in Shreveport that serves Kindergarten through fifth grade. The student population of this school is 506 and the student-teacher ratio is 16:1. At this school, 88% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and 86% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com

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Louisiana

Which Louisiana schools would get lower grades under new rating system? Search here.

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2025

Press Room

Which Louisiana schools would get lower grades under new rating system? Search here.

It’s report card day for Louisiana schools and many have reason to celebrate.

Statewide, 44% of elementary and middle schools and 70% of high schools earned an A or B based on academic results from the 2024-2025 school year, according to state data released Thursday. Collectively, Louisiana’s public schools earned a B, and the statewide performance score grew by nearly one point to 80.9 — the highest it’s been since the current rating system launched over a decade ago.

But for many schools, the good grades won’t last.

Next year, a tougher rating system will kick in. To help prepare schools and the public for the shift, the Louisiana Department of Education released simulated grades this year alongside schools’ official grades. The simulated grades, which carry no weight, show how schools would have fared this year had the new system been in effect. It’s the first public preview of how grades will likely change when the revamped rating system launches in 2026.

For elementary and middle schools, the results would look similar to today: Most would earn the same or better grades, with just 16% getting lower ratings. But for high schools, the difference would be dramatic: 76% would get lower grades under the revised rating system.

The searchable table below shows the actual grade each school and district earned this year, as well as simulated grades based on the revised system.

The next table shows school and district performance scores. The 2024 and 2025 scores are on a 150-point scale, while the simulated scores are on a 100-point scale.

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Louisiana

LDWF Announces $5.2 Million for Conservation Projects through the Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2025

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LDWF Announces .2 Million for Conservation Projects through the Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program

Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced that the Louisiana Outdoor Forever (LOF) Project Selection Board voted to fund 5 conservation projects in Louisiana based on the review, evaluation, and scoring received from LOF’s Technical Advisory Board. The LOF program will allocate $921,350 and leverage $4.29 million for a total conservation investment of $5.21 million to these projects. The LOF program is administered by the LDWF and helps Louisiana become more competitive in securing grant opportunities.

Projects selected for funding:

Project Name	Project Location	Organization	Funding Amount Requested	Match Funds	Total Project Amount
Bayou L’Ours Phase V Terraces	Golden Meadow, Lafourche Parish, LA; 29°24’44.71″N, 90°8’52.90″W	Ducks Unlimited / Partner with Lafourche Parish	$213,500.00	$3,485,641.00	$3,699,141.00
Enhancing Wood Duck Habitat in Pearl River WMA through Duck Box Installation and Community Ed.	Pearl River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) below Indian Village Road on West and Middle Pearl River	Southern Quacker Wildlife Conservation (SQWC) / Partner with LDWF	$8,000.00	$6,000.00	$14,000.00
Enhancing Mottled Duck Breeding Habitat in Southwest Louisiana	Multiple parishes in Southwest Louisiana	Ducks Unlimited / Partner with LDWF	$100,000.00	$200,000.00	$300,000.00
Napoleonville Bayou Access and Emergency Boat Launch Project	Bayou Lafourche – right descending bank; Assumption Parish	Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District	$500,000.00	$500,000.00	$1,000,000.00
Beechwood-Bayou Sara Tunica Hills Protection	Beechwood Tract and Sleepy Hollow Tract in West Feliciana Parish	The Nature Conservancy / partner with LDWF	$99,850.00	$99,850.00	$199,700.00
Total			$921,350.00	$4,291,491.00	$5,212,841.00

The Louisiana Outdoors Forever (LOF) Program was created during the 2022 legislative session with House Bill 762 to provide funding for outdoor conservation projects across the state.

You can also sign up for meeting and Louisiana Outdoors Forever press releases by visiting here and selecting an interest of “Conservation.”

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