The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in English language arts. The lowest is 24% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on South Fork Elementary School
South Fork Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Livingston Parish district. It sits in Denham Springs, a community that grew as a commuter hub for Baton Rouge and now functions as the commercial and banking center of the parish. The city describes its historic downtown as a cultural arts district centered on antique shops and restaurants, while most residential and commercial development spreads outward along major highways. Housing in the area is priced moderately above the state average, with rents posting a noticeable recent increase, and the typical mortgage payment on a median-priced home comes in slightly below the typical rent, which may matter to families weighing ownership versus renting. The district passed a major school bond in 2022 to fund new construction and renovations, and it redrew attendance zones effective for the 2024-2025 school year, meaning some families may find their children assigned to different schools than before. Property taxes include a voter-renewed 10-mill levy supporting school operations and maintenance.
The school’s student body reflects considerable economic diversity, with a large majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. In racial and ethnic terms, the enrollment is predominantly white, with a substantial Black student population, a smaller Hispanic share, and smaller percentages of Asian and multiracial students. No data was available on the share of students receiving special education services or those identified as English learners, so a parent wanting to understand support for those groups would need to ask the school directly.
On the LEAP 2025 state assessments, which test students in grades three through eight, South Fork’s results show that about two out of every five students met the state’s proficiency standard in English language arts. In mathematics, roughly one in four students reached that bar. Science and social studies proficiency rates were similar, each around one in four students scoring proficient. Participation rates were essentially universal, so the results reflect nearly the entire tested population. No prior-year data was available to compare, so it is not possible to see whether performance is improving or declining. The school serves only elementary grades, so there are no graduation rate data to report.
Because South Fork is one school within a single-district county, the comparison tool was not able to place it relative to other districts in Livingston Parish; there are no meaningful peer-district benchmarks at this level. A parent evaluating academic outcomes here should take the proficiency rates as a straightforward signal of where the school stands on state standards in the most recent testing year.
South Fork is a large elementary school by student count, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across kindergarten through fifth grade and a smaller pre-kindergarten program. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it follows the Livingston Parish district calendar and curriculum. The school’s role in the wider district context matters: Livingston Parish has seen rapid enrollment growth that drove the recent bond and redistricting, so families moving into Denham Springs or within it should confirm their attendance zone, as boundaries shifted recently. The district has also expanded career and technical education pathways at the high school level, though those programs are not relevant to an elementary student today. For a family weighing this school, the core question is how the current academic performance fits their expectations, alongside the practical realities of a growing district where tax-funded facility improvements are underway and enrollment patterns are in flux.
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