The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on G.t. Woods School
G.T. Woods School is a regular public school in Kenner, Louisiana, serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It sits within the Jefferson Parish Public School System, a district that has recently undergone significant consolidation and budget reductions, with several school closures, attendance zone redraws, and central office cuts over the past few years. For families considering this school, the district’s shifting landscape is worth noting.
Kenner itself is a car-dependent suburban city, the largest incorporated suburb of New Orleans and the most populous city in Jefferson Parish. Its growth began in the late 1950s and accelerated through the 1960s with the construction of Interstate 10, and development is typical of postwar suburban expansion: residential subdivisions, shopping centers, and strip corridors. The city’s population has declined modestly since the 2020 census, and its major economic anchors include Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner, and the Treasure Chest Casino. Housing values in the area are above the national median home value, and rents have recently dipped relative to the previous year. Families moving to the school’s attendance zone can expect a mature suburban setting with a mix of older single-family homes and commercial strips.
The school’s enrollment is small for a pre-K through eighth-grade building, with students distributed fairly evenly across the grades. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of Black students and very small numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a majority of families with lower household incomes. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and multilingual learner supports.
State testing results from the LEAP 2025 assessment are available for grades three through eight. In mathematics, about one in five students scored at the proficient or advanced level. In English language arts, roughly one in four students reached that mark. Science and social studies proficiency were lower, with about one in six students scoring proficient or higher in each. These are the only testing data available for this school; because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. A parent should understand that these proficiency levels are below what many families look for in a school, and it would be reasonable to ask what academic supports are in place, what interventions the school uses for struggling students, and how the school is addressing these results.
The school has no charter or magnet status, and no Title I status was reported in the data. Information on discipline rates, staffing ratios, course access, chronic absenteeism, and attendance was not available, so a family would need to seek that information directly from the school or district. The school’s program offerings were also not documented in the available data.
For a family considering G.T. Woods, the most straightforward read is a neighborhood school in a mid-sized suburban district that has been in a period of contraction and budget tightening. The student body is diverse and predominantly low-income, and the state assessment scores are low across all tested subjects. A parent who values strong academic performance on standardized measures may find this school less aligned with their priorities. A parent who wants a local school in an established Kenner neighborhood and is willing to engage with the school about its academic improvement plans may find it a viable option, especially if the family has young children who would spend many years in the same building through eighth grade. The lack of data on several key dimensions, including discipline, staffing, and special programs, means a parent should plan to visit, ask questions, and talk to current families before making a decision.
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