The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in Math. The lowest is 13% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on College Oaks Elementary School
College Oaks Elementary School, a regular public school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Calcasieu Parish district. The school has a mid-sized enrollment for an elementary building, with classes across each grade level from PK through fifth. The student body reflects the broader community: a majority of students are Black, a substantial share are White, and smaller percentages identify as Hispanic, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or two or more races. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need population.
State testing results from the 2024-25 school year, using the LEAP 2025 assessments, show that proficiency rates across all tested subjects fall below what is typical for the district. In both math and English language arts, roughly a quarter of tested students scored at the proficient or advanced level. Science and social studies proficiency rates were lower. Compared to other elementary schools in Calcasieu Parish, College Oaks placed in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects. A parent considering the school will want to examine how these results look for their child's particular grade and may wish to discuss academic support and intervention programs directly with the school. It is also worth noting that cut scores for the social studies test changed in the reporting year, which can affect comparability with prior years; only one year of assessment data is available here, so an academic trend cannot yet be established.
The Calcasieu Parish district, which administers College Oaks, has been active in securing its financial footing and improving instruction. In late 2024, voters renewed two property tax millages that generate significant annual revenue for teacher salaries and school operations, all without a rate increase. This renewal stabilizes the district's ability to retain staff and maintain programs. The school board has also implemented a districtwide literacy initiative over the past several years, shifting toward structured literacy approaches and reading intervention programs. That initiative earned a Magna Award from the Louisiana School Boards Association in early 2025, signaling a sustained commitment to improving reading outcomes across all grade levels. Additionally, following the devastating hurricanes of 2020, the district passed a large budget driven by FEMA reimbursement and rebuilding funds, which has funded major construction and renovation of school facilities across the parish.
Lake Charles, where College Oaks is located, is a mid-sized city that serves as an industrial, cultural, and educational hub for southwest Louisiana. It has a deep history in lumber and petrochemical refining, with major employers including PPG Industries, Phillips 66, Sasol, a casino resort, and two higher education institutions. The city was severely damaged by Hurricane Laura in 2020 and Hurricane Delta later that same year, and has experienced a modest population decline since 2020. The Downtown Development Authority is actively working to restore historic structures and attract new growth to the downtown and lakefront areas. The city is car-dependent and spread out, with interstate highway access connecting it to Houston and New Orleans. For families living in Lake Charles, the school is a neighborhood elementary building within a district that has recently secured its funding and is making deliberate changes to how reading is taught.
College Oaks is not a magnet, charter, or alternative school. It offers a standard elementary curriculum for its grade band. Data on special education classification and English learner status was not available, nor was chronic absenteeism or discipline data. A parent would need to ask the school for specifics on how the district's literacy initiative is implemented at College Oaks and what academic interventions are in place for students who need additional support.
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