The top reported proficiency rate is 94% in English language arts. The lowest is 83% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School is a regular public school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school. The data did not indicate that it holds a magnet or charter designation, and Title I status was not reported. The school is part of the Calcasieu Parish school district.
The student body is predominantly white, with much smaller shares of Black, Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students. The school draws from an attendance zone where the roughly one in every five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that is well below the typical range for public schools in the surrounding area and in the state. This profile suggests a peer environment with relatively low concentrations of student poverty. Enrollment in each grade is consistent, with no grade having a conspicuously large or small cohort.
State testing results are available for the 2024-25 school year, and they are the school’s central strength. In English language arts, a very large share of students scored at the proficient or advanced level. In mathematics, the share is also very large. Social studies results are similarly high, and in science the share is still strong, though a bit lower than in the other three subjects. Across all four tested subjects, the shares of students meeting the state’s proficiency standard are the best among elementary schools in Calcasieu Parish for which the data was reported. A parent should note that these results reflect a single year of data, so there is no multi-year trend to examine for stability or improvement. On the other hand, seeing a single year at an exceptionally high level still tells the reader that something is working well here in terms of academic attainment.
Because the school ends at fifth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. That is simply a function of the grade band, not a reflection on quality.
The housing market for the school’s broader zip code area shows home values well below national and state benchmarks. Rents are also moderate relative to the national picture. For a family moving into the area, this is a more affordable corner of the country. The economic context in Lake Charles is shaped by a major petrochemical and industrial base, with large employers like PPG Industries, Phillips 66, and Sasol, as well as the presence of McNeese State University and Sowela Technical Community College. The city itself has seen population decline in recent years after being hit hard by Hurricane Laura in 2020 and Hurricane Delta that same year. An EF2 tornado struck in 2021, and an EF1 tornado caused minor damage in 2024. These events have shaped the community’s recent experience.
The Calcasieu Parish district, which operates T. S. Cooley, has recently taken several steps that affect the school. In late 2024, voters renewed two property tax millages that generate ongoing revenue for teacher salaries and school operations. The renewal did not raise the tax rate. The district also launched a districtwide literacy initiative focusing on structured literacy and reading intervention, which earned a Magna Award in early 2025. After the 2020 hurricanes, the district passed a budget significantly larger than normal to fund rebuilding and renovation of at least ten school facilities, meaning the physical buildings across the district have seen major investment.
For a family looking at this school, the academic picture is straightforward: the state test results are at the top of the county. The student body is not economically diverse in the way many public schools are, which may be a consideration for some families. The school is in an urban setting in a mid-sized city that has weathered natural disasters and is rebuilding. A parent who values a school where the vast majority of students are meeting high academic standards and where the community has shown sustained commitment to funding education will find a strong fit here.
See more original research from School Decision →