Original Research by School Decision on Living School Inc.
LivingSchool Inc. is a small public charter district in Orleans Parish that serves only high school grades, nine through twelve. It operates a single school, Living School, which opened as a public charter high school and graduated its first senior class in 2023, completing its grade-level rollout. The district’s enrollment is small for a high-school-only entity, and its student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with very small numbers of White, American Indian, or multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not available.
State testing data was not available for Living School Inc., so there is no reported measure of academic proficiency across subjects. The district also has no reported four-year graduation rate, which a parent might expect from a high school district. Publicly reported information indicates that the first graduating class included students with Individualized Education Programs who earned the TOPS University Diploma, the state’s highest diploma level, which qualifies recipients for state-funded college scholarships. That same source notes that about two-thirds of the school’s students have special needs, either as students with IEPs or as English learners, and that the school is recognized for its work with special-needs populations. Without test scores or a graduation rate on file, a family considering this district may want to ask the school directly for its most recent academic outcomes and postsecondary placement record.
On two available metrics, the district’s position among Orleans Parish’s districts stands out. Its chronic absenteeism rate falls in the top quartile, meaning it is among the lowest rates in the parish—a favorable indicator of consistent attendance. Its per-pupil current spending is in the upper range compared to other Orleans Parish districts, which suggests a higher level of investment per student. Neither of these measures substitutes for academic performance data, but they offer some context for how the district operates relative to its peers.
Living School Inc. is governed as a public charter entity, and its single school serves grades nine through twelve. No information was provided about the district’s facility, location, or the broader community it draws from, so a sense of the surrounding housing market, commute, or neighborhood character is not available here. A parent would need to seek those details separately.
In sum, this is a small, specialized high school district with a stated emphasis on serving students with disabilities and English learners, having recently launched its full grade span. The absence of state test results and graduation rate data leaves a significant gap in the picture of academic performance, but the available attendance and spending figures place it favorably among Orleans Parish districts. Families, particularly those with a child who has special needs, may want to investigate further by contacting the school about its curriculum, diploma pathways, and support services.
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