The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Mabel Brasher Montessori
Mabel Brasher Montessori is a regular public school in Alexandria, Louisiana, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Rapides Parish school district. Its name signals a pedagogical approach, and for families drawn to Montessori methods, this school offers that pathway within the public system, a relatively uncommon option in central Louisiana. The school is located on Cloverleaf Boulevard, a street that places it in a commercial-residential corridor of the city.
Alexandria itself is a mid-sized regional hub, the retail, health care, and government center for a multi-parish region. Its economy is anchored by two major hospitals, a VA medical center, manufacturing facilities, and the school board itself. The city has seen modest population decline in recent years, a continuation of a longer trend, and its development is steady rather than booming. Housing in the school's ZIP code is priced near the state average, and rents are somewhat below the national benchmark, making the area relatively affordable for families. The city is auto-oriented, with limited public transit, and daily errands typically require a car.
The school enrolls students from a wide range of backgrounds. A large majority of the student body is Black, with a smaller share of white students and small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic groups. A very high proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with substantial economic need. The school does not report data for students with disabilities or English learners, so it is unclear what share of the student body receives those supports; a parent may want to ask the school directly about special education and language services.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, student proficiency rates were low across all tested subjects. In math, about one in six students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, about one in five did. In science, the rate was lower, and in social studies it was lower still. These results represent a single year of data, so there is no trend to compare against. Participation rates were complete, meaning nearly every student took the tests, which gives the results a full picture of the school's performance. The school serves only elementary grades, so no high school graduation rate is reported, and no data on chronic absenteeism was available.
No program offerings were provided in the data, so it is not possible to assess whether the school offers special academies, enrichment, or extracurricular activities beyond its core Montessori curriculum. The school's website was listed, but no details from it were included in the research.
The comparison fact-set for the school was too small to position it against other districts in Rapides Parish, so no relative strengths or weaknesses can be drawn from that lens.
For a family considering Mabel Brasher Montessori, the central draw is the Montessori approach itself, a child-led, hands-on educational model that differs from traditional instruction. The school's test results are low, and families who place a high priority on state-assessed academic outcomes will want to look closely at those numbers and discuss them with the school. The student body is economically diverse in terms of income level and predominantly Black, which may be a factor for families seeking a particular peer environment. The setting is an auto-dependent mid-sized city with a stable but not growing population, and housing is relatively affordable. The school's size, serving roughly a few hundred students across seven grades, is moderate for an elementary school in Louisiana. The absence of data on special populations and programs means that families with specific needs around learning support or enrichment should seek that information directly from the school.
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