The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hackberry High School
Hackberry High School serves the small, unincorporated community of Hackberry in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, as a single PK-12 public school. It is the only school in this rural corner of the state, and it draws all its students from a community that has weathered decades of upheaval. Hackberry itself, a census-designated place, has seen its population shrink markedly over the past twenty years, pushed by the repeated impact of major hurricanes—Rita, Ike, and Laura—each of which caused severe damage to homes and infrastructure. The newly reconstructed library on Main Street is one sign of ongoing recovery. The school sits within a low-density landscape where most residents rely on personal vehicles; Louisiana Highway 27 connects the community to Sulphur to the north and Holly Beach to the south. The local economy has historically centered on agriculture and fishing, and the area is part of the larger Lake Charles metropolitan region.
The school itself is small, serving a student body from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The demographics are almost entirely white, with a small number of students who identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school operates as a regular public school within the Cameron Parish School Board, and no charter or magnet designations apply.
On the state’s LEAP 2025 assessments for the most recent school year, results across subjects fell within a modest range. In English language arts, just under two-fifths of tested students in grades three through eight scored at the proficient or above level. In math, the share was lower, at roughly a quarter. Science and social studies each landed at about a third of students reaching proficiency. These figures reflect a single year’s snapshot; no multi-year trend is available because the data covers only the current reporting period. Participation rates were full, meaning nearly every eligible student took the tests. The state also flagged a change in cut scores for social studies, which means that single point should be interpreted with some caution.
The school serves all grades under one roof, so there is no separate middle or high school building to compare. For high school students, the available data does not include a graduation rate. That is a notable gap for families evaluating postsecondary pathways; a parent may want to ask the school directly for its graduation numbers, college-going rates, and course offerings such as advanced placement, dual enrollment, or career and technical programs. No information on course access, staffing ratios, or discipline is present in the data used here, nor are there data on chronic absenteeism or special education and English learner populations. Those are all areas a family would need to investigate through the school itself.
The comparison set that would normally place Hackberry High School among its county peers is too small to yield any meaningful context—Cameron Parish has only this single district, so there are no neighboring districts to measure against. The school’s performance cannot be positioned relative to others in the parish.
For a family considering Hackberry, the picture is one of a very small, rural school deeply embedded in a community that has faced repeated natural disasters and population loss. The academic results are on the lower side compared to state averages, and the missing data on graduation, programming, and student support means the full picture is incomplete. The school is the educational anchor of a place that is rebuilding, and a resident or newcomer would likely want to speak with administrators to understand what pathways are available for high school students, how the school supports college and career readiness, and what the day-to-day environment is like in a combined PK-12 setting. The community itself offers limited commercial amenities, and commuting to larger towns is a reality for many families. That trade-off may suit those drawn to a close-knit setting but give pause to families seeking broader academic options or a wider peer group.
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