The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Alice N. Boucher Elementary School
AliceN. Boucher Elementary School is a regular public school in Lafayette, Louisiana, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Lafayette Parish school system. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of Hispanic, White, and multiracial students. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high concentration of economic need. The school is not a charter or magnet and does not have a publicly listed Title I status, though its demographic profile strongly suggests it qualifies for federal support. Because the school does not serve grades beyond fifth, there is no graduation rate to report, and extended academic pathways such as high school Advanced Placement or dual enrollment are not applicable here.
State assessment results from the LEAP 2025 tests show that proficiency rates across all subjects are low. In math and English language arts, the share of students scoring at proficient or advanced levels is modest, and in science and social studies it is even lower. The social studies assessment had a change in scoring standards during the most recent test year, so that particular result may not be directly comparable to prior years, though prior year data was not available for any subject to establish a trend. Participation in testing was complete, meaning nearly every enrolled student took the assessments. The school’s overall proficiency index places it below most other schools in Lafayette Parish that also serve tested grades, based on the limited comparison set available. For a parent, these scores are a clear signal that the school faces significant academic challenges, and it would be reasonable to ask school officials about the specific interventions and supports in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
The school is located within the city of Lafayette, a mid-sized consolidated city-parish that serves as the economic and cultural center of Acadiana. Lafayette is home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a major healthcare sector anchored by Ochsner Health System, and a growing technology and logistics industry. The city is predominantly car-dependent, with a walkable downtown core and a university district that add some pedestrian-friendly pockets. The housing market in the area around the school is relatively affordable compared to national norms, with home values that have seen a modest decline recently, while rents have increased slightly. This makes the neighborhood accessible for families with moderate incomes, though the school’s high poverty rate suggests many families in the attendance zone are stretched financially.
No recent major changes or initiatives were reported for the Lafayette Parish school district in publicly available materials, so the broader district context appears stable. For a family evaluating Alice N. Boucher Elementary, the primary considerations are the school’s academic performance, which is well below the state average and most other schools in the parish, and the high level of economic need among the student population. The school serves a young age range where foundational skills are developed, and a parent would want to understand how the school addresses early literacy and math gaps, what enrichment opportunities exist, and how the staff supports students who may face challenges at home. The city of Lafayette offers a range of cultural and economic resources, but the school itself is in a neighborhood where many families face financial hardship, and the test results reflect that environment. There is no data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing, so those are open questions a parent should raise directly with the school.
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