The top reported proficiency rate is 16% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Claiborne Elementary School
Claiborne Elementary School is a regular public school in Baton Rouge serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates within the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, one of Louisiana’s larger districts. The school occupies a building on Denham Street in the 70805 zip code, a north Baton Rouge area where housing values are well below the state median and have been declining recently. Rents in the immediate zip code also fall lower than the state average and have edged down. For a family considering this neighborhood, the for-sale and rental markets are notably more affordable than much of the region, though the area has seen downward pressure on home values.
The student body is nearly all Black, with a modest Hispanic share and very small numbers of white and multiracial students. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school serves a population with substantial economic need. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available.
State testing results from the LEAP 2025 assessments show low performance in every subject. In both math and English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the single digits or very low double digits. Science and social studies proficiency rates were even lower. This places Claiborne Elementary in the bottom quarter among all schools in East Baton Rouge Parish on an overall proficiency index. The school had only a single year of test data in the available trend information, so it is not possible to say from this evidence whether performance has been improving, declining, or holding steady. Parents considering this school should seek direct conversation with the administration about the academic program and supports in place.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. It houses a full grade span from pre-K through fifth grade, with class sizes that appear typical for a building of this scale. No information was available on course offerings, staff qualifications, or discipline rates. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also absent from the available records.
Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capital and a city of considerable scale and complexity. It functions as a government, university, and industrial hub, anchored by Louisiana State University and Southern University. The economy draws on state government, petrochemical operations along the Mississippi River, healthcare, and a range of corporate headquarters. The city is largely car-dependent, with walkable pockets around downtown and the LSU lakes. The school’s location in north Baton Rouge is farther from the downtown and university nodes that see the most investment and pedestrian activity. Development patterns in the parish have favored the southern and eastern suburbs, while older north Baton Rouge neighborhoods have experienced a different trajectory.
The school district itself did not surface any recent policy changes, referendums, or major shifts that would directly affect a family’s experience at Claiborne Elementary. A parent moving into the attendance zone would want to learn directly from the school about its current instructional focus, any after-school or enrichment programs, and how it addresses the academic challenges reflected in the state assessments. For a family weighing options within Baton Rouge, this school sits in a part of the city with lower housing costs and a predominantly low-income student population, and its test results indicate significant room for growth in core academic subjects.
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