The top reported proficiency rate is 11% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Homer Junior High School
Homer Junior High School serves fifth through eighth grade students in the parish seat of Claiborne Parish, a rural town in northern Louisiana. The school is one of three campuses operated by the Claiborne Parish School Board, which also runs Homer Elementary and Homer High School. The town itself is built around a historic courthouse square, with civic life centered on the Claiborne Parish Courthouse and the Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum nearby. Major employers include the town government, the school board, and the David Wade Correctional Center. The town has seen a modest population decline in recent years, and publicly reported news indicates the town has been focused on fiscal stabilization and utility rate adjustments rather than new housing or commercial development.
The student body is relatively small for a junior high school, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across grades five through eight. The student population is predominantly Black, with a small share of white students and even smaller shares of Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty context. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the support services in place for those groups.
On the Louisiana LEAP 2025 assessments, the school’s proficiency rates were below state averages across all four tested subjects. In English language arts, about one in nine students scored at the proficient or above level. In math, the rate was lower still, with a very small share of students meeting the bar. Science and social studies proficiency rates were also low. These results represent a single year of data with no prior trend available, so a parent may want to discuss with the school how it is addressing student achievement and what progress it expects over time. Participation rates were high, meaning these results reflect nearly all enrolled students.
Because Homer Junior High does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The comparison fact-set for Claiborne Parish contains only one district, so a meaningful comparison to nearby districts is not possible. The school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation.
For a family considering this school, the core question is about academic support and pathway. The assessment data points to a student body that, as a whole, is performing well below grade-level benchmarks. A parent will want to understand what interventions, tutoring, or targeted instruction the school provides, and how it tracks individual student growth. The homogenous small-town setting and modest housing market, with home values below both the state and national benchmarks, may suit families looking for a lower-cost, rural environment. The school’s size is manageable, and the grade band covers the full middle school span, so students have continuity from elementary into high school without an additional transition.
The district brief showed no major recent changes or initiatives that were publicly reported, so a parent should seek out the school’s own communication about any current programs or improvement efforts. The combination of high poverty, low proficiency, and a lack of accessible information about special education and English learner supports means a family should plan to visit the school and ask detailed questions about how the school meets students where they are.
See more original research from School Decision →