The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Noble Minds
Noble Minds is a small school in New Orleans serving kindergarten through eighth grade, located on South Carrollton Avenue. It was originally established as a publicly funded charter school, but publicly reported accounts indicate that it transitioned to a private, tuition-based school after receiving a low rating from the state for the prior school year. The academic performance data available here comes from state assessments administered during the school year after that transition, so it reflects the student body under the new structure.
The school enrolls a small student body that is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and a very small White population. A substantial share of students come from households with low income, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is spread across kindergarten through eighth grade, with the largest classes in the middle elementary grades and a notably smaller eighth-grade class. Staffing counts, discipline statistics, and attendance figures were not provided, so those aspects of school life are not included here.
On the Louisiana state assessments taken by students in grades three through eight, proficiency rates across all tested subjects were low. In English language arts, about one in five students scored at the proficient or advanced level. In math, the rate was lower, and in science and social studies, it was lower still. The school reported that a very high share of students participated in the tests, so the results are based on nearly all enrolled students in those grades. Because the school ends at eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report.
When compared with other school districts in Orleans Parish, Noble Minds’ overall proficiency index fell in the bottom quartile. This means that on average, students at this school scored below the middle of the pack among the parish’s districts. The comparison is based on only a small number of districts that have proficiency data, but it still places the school well behind most of its county peers.
The shift from a charter to a private, tuition-based model is the most significant change a parent needs to understand. Publicly reported sources state that the school gave up its charter after an F rating and now charges annual tuition. Only about one-third of the prior enrollment remained after the transition. What was once a free public option is now a fee-based private school, and families must pay tuition for their child to attend. A parent considering Noble Minds should look into the current tuition structure and whether the school continues to offer any financial assistance, as well as how the academic program has evolved since the change.
New Orleans is a dense urban city with a distinctive cultural and economic character. The neighborhood around the school is part of a city that has seen significant population shifts and redevelopment over the past two decades. Housing values in the immediate area are below the state average, and rental costs have been increasing modestly. The broader city economy is anchored by the port, tourism, the film industry, and major institutions like Tulane University.
For a family weighing this school, the academic results and the fundamental change in how the school is funded and governed are the central facts. The school serves a small, high-poverty student population and its test scores fall well below parish averages across all subjects. The transition to a tuition model may affect both the student body and the resources available to the school. Parents may want to visit, speak with administrators about the curriculum and supports offered, and clarify how the school’s mission and staffing have been affected by the transition.
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