The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Linwood Public Charter School
Linwood Public Charter School serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in Shreveport, Louisiana. It operates as a public charter school under the Recovery School District, a state-run district that oversees schools transferred from local control. The school enrolls a large student body for its grade band, with attendance drawn primarily from the surrounding city. Its student population is overwhelmingly Black, with a very small share of Hispanic students and an even smaller number of white students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty context.
The school participates in Louisiana’s LEAP 2025 assessments for grades three through eight. On the 2024-25 state tests, the share of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level was low across all subjects. Reading performance was higher than math, science, and social studies, but still well below what most families would consider a strong result. In math, the proficient rate was in the single digits when considering the overall percentage. Science and social studies showed similarly low rates. Only one year of state testing data is available in the record, so there is no trend to assess. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and special education or English learner populations was not provided in the record. A parent seeking more detail on those areas would need to contact the school or district directly.
Linwood sits within the Recovery School District, a body Louisiana uses to take over persistently low-performing schools. The district includes only a handful of schools, all run by charter operators. In 2024, the state superintendent signaled that more schools could be transferred into the Recovery School District, which could change the landscape for families in Shreveport and elsewhere. The school itself is categorized as a regular public school in the data, though its name identifies it as a public charter school.
Shreveport is the third-largest city in Louisiana and the economic center of the Ark-La-Tex region. It was historically an oil and manufacturing hub but has lost population steadily over recent decades, with a notable decline since 2020. The city’s economy now relies more on healthcare, logistics, gaming, and higher education, with major employers including Barksdale Air Force Base, Amazon, and regional hospitals. Housing in the area is relatively affordable, with median home values below the national average and rents rising at a fast clip. The city is largely car-dependent, with a sprawling layout and a downtown core that concentrates civic amenities such as the convention center, riverboat casinos, and the parish courthouse. The median household income is below the national figure, and a meaningful portion of residents live in poverty.
For a family considering Linwood, the primary takeaway is that the school serves a high-need population and produces academic outcomes that are weak on state measures. The lack of multi-year data makes it hard to assess improvement, and the absence of information on student support programs or school environment is a gap that would require direct inquiry. The Recovery School District’s involvement signals that this school has been part of a state intervention framework, and any family looking at this option would be wise to visit, ask about instructional supports, and compare the school’s offerings with other available choices in Shreveport, including traditional Caddo Parish public schools and other charter options. The school’s size and grade span mean it could serve a child through middle school, after which a new school would need to be selected for ninth grade.
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