The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in Math. The lowest is 23% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Marie B. Riviere Elementary School
Marie B. Riviere Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Metairie, a suburban community within Jefferson Parish. The school is a regular public school, not a charter, and it operates as part of the Jefferson Parish Public School System. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The student body is diverse. The largest demographic group is Hispanic students, who make up the majority of the enrollment. White students are the next largest group, followed by Black students, with smaller shares of Asian students and students identifying as two or more races. Roughly half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic need at the school. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners were not available in the sources used here; a parent may want to ask the school directly about the support structures for those populations.
On state assessments, the school’s results show a mixed picture. In math, a share of students scored at the proficient or above level that is more modest than the state average. In English language arts, the share was slightly lower than in math. Science and social studies proficiency rates were lower still, with both subjects showing a smaller proportion of students meeting the bar. Participation on test day was high across all subjects, meaning the results reflect nearly the entire tested student body. Because the data covers only one school year, there is no multi-year trend to say whether performance is rising or falling; that pattern will only become clear in future years.
The school enrollment is sizeable for an elementary school. Class sizes and building capacity are not available in the data, but a parent may want to ask about average class sizes during a tour.
Metairie itself is a mix of residential and commercial areas. The commercial spine is Veterans Memorial Boulevard, and the business district clusters around Causeway Boulevard near Lake Pontchartrain. Older, more walkable sections such as “Old Metairie” date to the 1920s and feature upscale housing, while denser commercial nodes like “Fat City” offer restaurants and retail. The housing market in the area is elevated relative to state and national benchmarks, with home values well above the Louisiana average. Rents have seen a slight decline year over year, and the area is less affordable than many parts of the country, with home prices representing a multiple of the national median household income that is higher than average.
The Jefferson Parish school district has been undergoing significant changes that affect families. A school consolidation plan approved in 2023 is closing and merging schools on both the East Bank and West Bank of the parish, and attendance zones are being redrawn. Some parents have raised concerns about longer commutes and disruption, and the district has said savings will go to remaining schools. The School Board also approved budget cuts for the 2024-2025 year, citing declining enrollment and state funding shortfalls, with cuts to central office staff, transportation, and some programs. On the curriculum side, the district adopted an evidence-based reading curriculum starting in the 2023-2024 school year, aligned with a state reading initiative, and invested in teacher training for it. A federal grant was awarded in 2023 to enhance STEM education across the district, funding technology upgrades and expanded programs at multiple schools.
For a family considering Riviere, the school offers a pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade pathway in a suburban Metairie setting with a highly diverse student body. The academic results on state tests are moderate, with math the strongest subject and science and social studies weaker areas. The district context includes active consolidation and budget adjustments, so any family choosing a home in the parish should be aware that attendance zone boundaries may shift and that some programs could be affected by ongoing changes.
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