The top reported proficiency rate is 19% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Werner Park Elementary School
Werner Park Elementary School is a regular public school in Shreveport serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Caddo Parish Public Schools, the parish-wide district that covers the city and its surrounding communities. For a family considering this school, the academic performance data from the most recent state testing year paints a straightforward picture that warrants close attention.
The school's results on Louisiana's LEAP 2025 assessments show a student body that, as a whole, is far from reaching the state's proficiency benchmarks. In math, the share of students scoring at the proficient or above level was in the low teens or below across grades three, four, and five, with fourth grade showing an especially low single-digit result. English language arts results were somewhat higher, reaching into the low-to-mid-teens and into the low twenties by fifth grade, but still well below where most families would hope to see their child. Science proficiency was also very low in the tested grades, and in fifth grade the state reported a range indicating that at most a quarter of students met the bar. Social studies results from the prior school year were similarly suppressed, falling in a range that suggests very few students reached proficiency. For a parent, these numbers represent a significant concern. The share of students meeting state standards is quite small, and a family considering Werner Park would want to have a direct conversation with the school about the specific academic interventions and instructional support in place to raise student outcomes.
The student body is overwhelmingly composed of students who identify as Black, making up the vast majority of enrollment. A small share of students identify as two or more races, and the numbers of Hispanic and white students are minimal. A very large share of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need that is common in many Shreveport schools. This concentration of poverty is an important context for understanding the challenges the school faces. The enrollment is modest for an elementary school serving grades PK through five, with a student count that falls on the smaller side.
Shreveport itself is a city with a complicated recent history. It remains the third-largest city in Louisiana and the commercial and cultural center of the Ark-La-Tex region where the three states meet. But its population has been declining for years, reflecting the loss of traditional oil and manufacturing jobs, including the closure of a General Motors plant. The city is actively working to diversify its economy through logistics, healthcare, and technology initiatives like the I-20 Cyber Corridor, but economic challenges persist, including a poverty rate that touches a notable share of residents. Housing in the city's zip code is very affordable by national standards, with home values well below state and national averages. Rents are also low, though they have been rising recently. The school is located on Corbitt Street in a residential area of Shreveport. The city overall is car-dependent and sprawling, with limited pedestrian infrastructure outside the historic downtown core.
No information was available on the school's discipline rates, staffing levels, attendance, or chronic absenteeism, so those dimensions cannot be assessed here. The comparison data that would place Werner Park among other Caddo Parish elementary schools was not sufficient to calculate a proficiency index, so the school's performance relative to its closest neighbors is not available from the data at hand.
For a family, Werner Park Elementary School presents a clear set of challenges. The academic proficiency rates are very low across every subject and grade level tested, and the student population faces significant economic hardship. A parent would want to understand what additional resources, tutoring, or specialized programs the school offers to address these academic gaps, and whether the school has specific leadership or instructional initiatives underway to change the trajectory. This is a school where the baseline data suggests a family should visit, observe classrooms, and ask pointed questions about academic support before enrolling.
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