The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School serves grades three through six in Bogalusa, a small Louisiana city with a long industrial history. The school is part of the City of Bogalusa School District, which recently reorganized its elementary grade bands: Central now takes the upper elementary grades, while another school in the district was restructured to serve younger children. That grade reconfiguration is a notable recent change for families deciding which building their child will attend as they move through the district.
The student body at Central is diverse in background but concentrated in its economic circumstances. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the broader community’s working-class and low-income base. Racially, the enrollment is predominantly Black, with a much smaller share of White students and modest representation of Hispanic, multiracial, and other groups. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it draws from its immediate neighborhood within the city.
Academically, the picture is one of significant challenge. On the state’s LEAP 2025 assessments, the proportion of students scoring at the proficient level or above was low in both reading and math and very low in science and social studies. Proficiency rates in every tested subject fell well below what most families would consider a strong academic foundation. Placed in context, the school’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quarter when compared with other districts in Washington Parish—a comparison set that includes only two districts, so the gap is clear even in a small field. There is no multi-year trend data that would show whether performance has been improving or declining over time; the available results come from a single school year. A parent evaluating this school will want to understand what academic interventions and supports are in place, as the current outcomes suggest many students are not yet meeting grade-level expectations.
Because Central only serves through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. The district as a whole has seen its graduation rate rise over the past several years, a positive signal at the system level, but that metric does not apply directly to this elementary school. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing was available in the records reviewed, so a parent may wish to ask the school directly about attendance patterns, teacher turnover, and how the school environment supports student engagement.
The community context matters for understanding what this school sits within. Bogalusa was founded as a company town for a lumber mill and later a paper plant, and that industrial heritage still defines much of its character. The International Paper mill remains the largest employer, though its workforce has shrunk considerably over the decades. The city has experienced a long, steady population decline, and that demographic trend is reflected in the housing market: home values are very low by both state and national benchmarks, and values have recently been declining. For a family moving into the area, housing is inexpensive, but the market does not signal growth or new development. The city’s infrastructure and civic life are shaped by its shrinking population—schools are embedded within the original grid layout, and the district serves as a major employer alongside the mill and a regional technical college.
Central Elementary offers a traditional public school experience in a setting where economic disadvantage is the norm and academic performance is a clear area of concern. The grade reconfiguration means that children will move to a different building after third grade, and again after sixth grade, as they progress through the district’s schools. The school’s small enrollment and neighborhood draw could provide a close-knit environment, but families will want to weigh that against the low proficiency rates and ask what specific programs—tutoring, intervention, enrichment—are available to help students build stronger academic skills. The district’s improving high school graduation rate offers a longer-term note of progress, but at the elementary level the most immediate question is whether the school can accelerate learning for students who enter behind.
See more original research from School Decision →