The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Estelle School
Estelle School serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in Marrero, an unincorporated community on the West Bank of the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish. It is a regular public school within the Jefferson Parish Public School System and is not a charter. The school enrolls more than six hundred students, with the largest grade-level groups in kindergarten through third grade. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Black, followed by a sizable Hispanic population and smaller White and Asian shares. The school’s demographics reflect the surrounding suburban community, which is densely populated and car-dependent, with most residents commuting to work by vehicle.
On the state’s LEAP 2025 assessments for grades three through eight, proficiency rates are low across all subjects. In reading and English language arts, roughly one in five students scored at the proficient level or above. In mathematics, the share was much smaller, and in science and social studies it remained in the single digits. Participation was near universal, so these results represent nearly all eligible students. Because this is the only year of assessment data available for the school, no trend can be drawn. For a family looking at elementary and middle school performance, these numbers are a clear soft spot, and a parent may want to ask the school about its academic improvement strategies and how it supports students who are below grade level.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate or advanced coursework like AP or dual enrollment to report. The district brief notes that Jefferson Parish has undergone recent changes relevant to any family in the system. A school consolidation plan was approved in 2023, involving closures, mergers, and redrawn attendance zones. The district also approved budget cuts for the 2024-2025 school year, reducing central office staff and some transportation and program offerings, while exploring further consolidations. On the positive side, the district adopted a new evidence-based reading curriculum in 2023-2024, aligned with a state literacy initiative, and received a federal grant in 2023 to expand STEM education across multiple schools. These initiatives could affect what Estelle School offers and how its resources are allocated, so it is worth asking the school directly about its current program offerings, tutoring, or enrichment in science and math.
The community of Marrero itself has seen a gradual population decline over recent years, though it remains a high-density suburban area. Housing values and rents in the broader ZIP code area are moderate relative to national benchmarks, and the median commute time suggests most residents travel outside the community for work. The area’s major civic anchor is the Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, offering swamp and forest trails, a notable local resource. Health care is a significant sector, and retail corridors line the main roads. The neighborhoods are primarily residential subdivisions with strip commercial development; there is no traditional walkable downtown.
For a parent considering Estelle School, the profile is that of a mid-sized, high-poverty elementary and middle school that serves a stable but low-income population. The test results indicate significant academic challenges, and the district’s ongoing consolidation and budget constraints add a layer of uncertainty about future programming and attendance boundaries. Families who prioritize strong test scores or a wide array of electives may find this school does not meet those expectations, while those who value a neighborhood school with a supportive environment and are willing to engage closely with the school on academic support may find it a fit. The lack of available data on disciplinary incidents, chronic absenteeism, and class sizes leaves important questions unanswered, so direct inquiry with the school is advisable.
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