Tangipahoa Parish, LA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Tangipahoa Parish

Tangipahoa Parish is a large, rural-to-suburban public school district in southeastern Louisiana that serves students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across a wide geographic area. The district includes communities such as Hammond, Ponchatoula, Amite, Kentwood, Independence, Loranger, and Roseland, each with its own character. The district operates more than thirty schools, including several magnet programs, a Montessori school, a university lab school, and a career-focused magnet center. Housing values vary considerably across the parish, with homes in the Covington area fetching far higher prices than those in Kentwood or Roseland, and rents generally below what the national market commands.

The student body is large and diverse, with roughly proportional shares of Black and white students and a substantial Hispanic population. Nearly half the district's students are Black, and about a tenth are Hispanic, with small numbers of Asian, multiracial, and Native American students enrolled. This mix shapes the peer environment across the parish's schools. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, receiving special education services, or identified as English learners was not available, which limits a full picture of student support needs.

State test results from the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program show that a modest share of students in grades three through eight are meeting the state's proficiency benchmark. In English language arts, roughly three in ten students scored at or above the proficient level. In mathematics and social studies, the share was just over one in five. In science, the share was lower, with about one in six students reaching proficiency. These figures place the district below the midpoint among Tangipahoa Parish's districts, though the comparison set is small and the analysis could not confirm how many districts were included. A parent may want to discuss the district's approach to academic improvement with school leaders, particularly in the context of the recent literacy initiative.

That initiative is one of several recent developments affecting families. The district launched a K-3 literacy overhaul tied to Louisiana's science-of-reading requirements, which changes how early reading is taught and how struggling readers are supported across all elementary schools. At the same time, the district closed Hammond Eastside Elementary at the end of the 2023-24 school year as part of a consolidation plan, reassigning students to other campuses. More consequentially, in spring 2024, voters narrowly rejected a 15-mill property tax renewal that funded teacher salaries and school operations, creating a multi-million dollar revenue gap that introduces uncertainty about staffing and program continuity.

The district offers a range of school types, including magnet programs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, a Montessori program, and the TPSS Advanced College and Career Magnet Center, which provides a specialized pathway for students focused on postsecondary preparation and career training. This variety gives families some options within the district, though the closure and the rejected millage raise questions about the reliability of those options going forward. Data on graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access was not available, so a full read on school climate and student outcomes past the elementary and middle grades is not possible from the provided evidence.

For a family considering a move to the area, the district's academic performance is below the state average, but the picture is incomplete without data on high school outcomes and program-specific results. Housing is relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks, with the greatest affordability in the northern and eastern parts of the parish. The failed millage creates real financial pressure for the district, and parents should understand that the district's ability to maintain current staffing and programs may depend on future tax measures or state intervention. The literacy initiative shows a focused effort on early reading, but whether that translates into improved test scores in the coming years will take time to assess. This is a district where the fit depends heavily on which school a child attends and whether the family values magnet or career-focused options enough to navigate the broader resource constraints.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

20,513

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 10%

Black 47%

White 37%

Asian 1%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

24%

44%

Gr 4

28%

54%

Gr 5

25%

—

Gr 6

20%

—

Gr 7

23%

50%

Gr 8

27%

53%

Gr 38

25%

49%

Math

Gr 3

23%

43%

Gr 4

22%

47%

Gr 5

12%

38%

Gr 6

14%

33%

Gr 7

12%

37%

Gr 8

16%

42%

Gr 38

17%

40%

Science

Gr 3

28%

Gr 4

16%

40%

Gr 5

19%

49%

Gr 6

20%

Gr 7

14%

36%

Gr 8

14%

36%

Gr 38

14%

35%

Social studies

Gr 3

14%

36%

Gr 4

18%

39%

Gr 5

19%

50%

Gr 6

10%

26%

Gr 7

17%

41%

Gr 8

22%

48%

Gr 38

17%

40%

Schools in this District

33 schools are officially reported under this district.

Amite Elementary Magnet School

Amite High Magnet

Champ Cooper Elementary School

Chesbrough Elementary School

Hammond High Magnet School

Greenville Park Leadership Academy

Independence Leadership Academy

Independence High Magnet

O.W. Dillon Leadership Academy

Kentwood High Magnet School

Loranger Elementary School

Loranger High School

Midway Elementary School

Natalbany Middle

Lucille Nesom Memorial

Ponchatoula Junior High School

Ponchatoula High School

D.C. Reeves Elementary School

Roseland Montessori

Southeastern LA University Lab School

Spring Creek Elementary School

Tucker Memorial Elementary School

Martha Vinyard Elementary School

Amite Westside Middle Magnet

Jewel M. Sumner High School

Perrin Early Learning Center

Hammond Westside Montessori

Hammond Eastside Magnet

Loranger Middle School

Woodland Park Magnet

Jewel M. Sumner Middle School

Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center

TPSS Advanced College and Career Magnet Center

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

21%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

29%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

17%

Grades 3-8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

21%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$210,354

Year-over-year change-1.2%

Range across 15 ZIP codes$137K to $341K

vs. state typical0.98x

vs. national typical0.57x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (15 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
70454	Ponchatoula	$247K	+1.7%	22.1%
70444	Kentwood	$170K	-5.0%	22.1%
70422	Amite	$174K	-6.0%	12.7%
70446	Loranger	$258K	+0.6%	10.4%
70443	Independence	$195K	0.0%	5.5%
70403	Hammond	$228K	+1.5%	4.6%
70401	Hammond	$215K	+0.3%	4.4%
70456	Roseland	$137K	-0.5%	4.2%
70466	Tickfaw	$197K	+0.4%	4.1%
70455	Robert	$229K	+2.9%	2.8%
70437	Folsom	$304K	+3.0%	2.6%
70435	Covington	$307K	-0.3%	0.5%
70433	Covington	$341K	+0.5%	0.4%
70438	Franklinton	$180K	-0.6%	0.4%
70462		$257K	+0.4%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,465/mo

Year-over-year change+1.3%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1,208 to $2,037/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
70454	Ponchatoula	$1,535	+1.4%	22.1%
70403	Hammond	$1,305	+1.1%	4.6%
70401	Hammond	$1,208	+0.9%	4.4%
70435	Covington	$2,037	—	0.5%
70433	Covington	$1,514	+1.6%	0.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,061/mo

Home price / national median income2.5x

Annual rent / national median income21.0%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$403/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$214,728 (+0.9% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.