The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in English language arts. The lowest is 13% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Jessie D. Clifton Elementary School
Jessie D. Clifton Elementary School is listed as a closed school, meaning it no longer serves students. For a parent or resident researching this school, the most important takeaway is that it is not an active educational option. The available data confirms its closure and offers a snapshot of its academic performance from years prior, which is purely historical context.
The school was a regular public elementary school located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, serving a grade band that is labeled as "M through M," which the state education directory identifies as a regular school type. It operated as part of the Calcasieu Parish school district, the same district that serves the wider Lake Charles area. Its physical address was on North Prater Street in Lake Charles, placing it within the city's residential and industrial mix.
State testing data is available from the 2014-15 school year, which is the most recent information on record. Because the school is now closed, these results have no bearing on current enrollment. In that year, students took the LEAP assessment across grades three, four, and five. In math, proficiency rates were low across all three tested grades. In English language arts, fourth graders posted a rate that was higher than the school's math results, sitting around half of students meeting the proficiency bar for that grade, while third and fifth grade ELA proficiency was lower. Fourth graders also took science and social studies assessments. In science, the reported results indicate that very few, if any, students scored at the proficient level. In social studies, the proficiency rate was also low. These figures come from a single school year that is now more than a decade old and reflect the school's performance in the years before its closure.
No data on student enrollment, demographics, or economic context for the school was available in the provided records. The data does not report a free or reduced-price lunch rate, racial or ethnic composition, or special population counts. Because the school is closed, these gaps are not relevant for current families.
Lake Charles itself is a mid-sized city that serves as an industrial and cultural hub for southwest Louisiana, with a mix of petrochemical plants, casino tourism, and higher education institutions like McNeese State University. The city has experienced population shifts in recent years and was severely impacted by Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020, which caused widespread damage and prompted significant rebuilding efforts. The wider Calcasieu Parish school district has undertaken major post-hurricane infrastructure projects, including a large budget focused on FEMA reimbursements for rebuilding or renovating multiple school facilities. The district also renewed property tax millages in 2024 to support teacher salaries and school operations, and it implemented a districtwide literacy initiative recognized with an award in 2025.
For a parent or resident, Jessie D. Clifton Elementary School is not a place where a child can be enrolled today. The historical data provides a record of what was, but does not inform any current educational decision. Anyone seeking a school in the Lake Charles area would look to other active elementary schools within the Calcasieu Parish system.
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