The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on North Highlands Elementary School
North Highlands Elementary School is a regular public school in Shreveport, Louisiana, serving children from prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Caddo Parish school system. It is one of the many elementary schools spread across this sprawling, car-dependent city.
The school enrolls a modest number of students, with classes found at every grade from PK through fifth. A substantial majority of those students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty category. Racially, the student body is predominantly Black, with a noticeable share of Hispanic students, a smaller number of White students, and a mix of other backgrounds. Federal data on special education and English learner populations was not reported in the available records, so a parent interested in those supports would need to follow up directly with the school.
On the state's LEAP 2025 assessments, which measure proficiency in grades three through five, the results present a picture of serious academic challenge. In English language arts, roughly one in three students scored at the proficient or above level. In mathematics, that figure dropped to about one in six. Science and social studies results were lower still, especially social studies, where very few students reached the proficient bar. The school had full participation in testing, which is a positive indicator of student attendance on test days. Only a single year of assessment data was available, so there is no way to see whether performance has been improving or declining over time. No high school exists here, so there is no graduation rate to report.
The neighborhood setting of North Highlands Elementary is part of Shreveport, a city that has seen a steady population decline over recent decades. The local economy has faced headwinds from the loss of oil-industry jobs and the closure of a major manufacturing plant, though the city continues efforts to diversify through healthcare, logistics, and technology. Housing in the area is affordable relative to national benchmarks, with home values and rents that are notably lower than the country as a whole, which may be a factor for families choosing to live in this part of the city.
The district itself did not yield recent information about policy changes, bond issues, or curriculum shifts. Parents would need to inquire with Caddo Parish about any current initiatives.
For a family considering North Highlands Elementary, the school’s most prominent feature is its high concentration of students from low-income households and the low rate of academic proficiency across all tested subjects. The school’s size is manageable, and it offers a full prekindergarten entry point. A parent would want to learn more about what academic interventions, tutoring, or enrichment programs are in place, how the school supports students who are behind grade level, and what resources are available for students who may need special education or English language services, since that information was not available here. The broader city context of economic transition and affordable housing rounds out the picture, but the school’s own academic standing is the central factor in any enrollment decision.
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