The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in English language arts. The lowest is 38% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Benton Elementary School
Benton Elementary School serves kindergarten through fourth grade in the town of Benton, the parish seat of Bossier Parish in northwest Louisiana. It is a regular public school within the Bossier Parish School District, and it feeds into Benton Intermediate, Benton Middle, and Benton High School. For a family looking at elementary options in this part of the state, the school offers a straightforward choice rooted in its community, with academic results that are strongest in the core subjects of reading and math and weaker in science and social studies.
On the Louisiana LEAP 2025 assessments, a solid majority of students scored at the proficient or above level in English language arts, and a similar majority did so in math. Those are the subjects that get the most instructional attention in the elementary grades, and the outcomes here are a clear strength. In science, however, fewer than half of students reached the proficient mark, and social studies came in at a comparable level. A parent may want to ask the school how it approaches science and social studies instruction in grades three and four, especially since those subjects become more heavily tested later. The school had full participation in testing, so the results reflect the full tested population.
The student body is large for an elementary school, with enrollment spread across kindergarten through fourth grade, and the grade three group is the largest single class. The school is predominantly white, with a smaller but noticeable share of Black and Hispanic students. Just under half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places Benton Elementary in a middle range of economic diversity for a Louisiana public school; it is neither a high-poverty school nor an affluent one. The data available did not include counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so a family with a child in either of those categories should confirm directly with the school what supports are in place.
The town of Benton itself is compact and has been growing at a modest rate. Lakefront residential development around Cypress Lake has brought new homes, and the population has risen over the past several years. Housing values in the area sit near the national median, and the town’s role as the parish seat means it has a modest civic core around the courthouse. The school is part of a district that did not appear to have any major recent changes reported publicly, and the district’s web presence did not offer a clear picture of strategic priorities for the elementary level. A parent should be comfortable checking with the district office for any updates on curriculum or staffing.
Because Benton Elementary serves only the early grades, there is no graduation rate or high school course access to evaluate. The school’s role is to build foundational literacy and numeracy, and on those measures it performs respectably. The weaker science and social studies scores are worth noting but may reflect the lighter emphasis those subjects receive in the primary grades compared to ELA and math. The school environment data, including chronic absenteeism and discipline, was not available in the source records, so a parent visiting the school and talking to current families would be the best way to get a feel for daily life there.
For a family living in Benton or the surrounding area, this school offers a familiar neighborhood elementary experience within Bossier Parish. The academic picture is mixed: reading and math are clear positives, while science and social studies lag behind. The student population is moderately diverse by economic background and predominantly white by race. The housing market in Benton has been active, with lakefront growth adding new families. The school does not have any indicated magnet or charter status, so it draws students from its attendance zone. A parent who values strong early reading and math instruction and wants a school embedded in a small-town setting will find Benton Elementary a reasonable fit. Those looking for a stronger science and social studies program at the elementary level may want to explore those subjects further with the school.
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