The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Social studies. The lowest is 24% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Rosenthal Montessori Elementary School
Rosenthal Montessori Elementary School is a regular public school in Alexandria, Louisiana, serving students from prekindergarten through sixth grade. It is part of the Rapides Parish school system. The school’s enrollment is large for a PK-6 campus, and the student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students and a modest representation of students who identify as two or more races. The school is not a charter school, and its status as a magnet or Title I school was not specified in the available data.
A substantial share of students at Rosenthal qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, meaning the school serves a population with significant economic need. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or English learner status was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and multilingual learner supports.
On state assessments for the 2024-25 school year, Rosenthal’s proficiency rates across subjects were mixed. In English language arts, the share of students demonstrating proficiency was lower than state averages typically seen in Louisiana, but it was the strongest subject for the school. In social studies, proficiency was at a comparable level. Math and science proficiency rates lagged further behind, with a relatively small portion of students reaching the proficient or above threshold. This pattern suggests that elementary math and science may be areas the school is working to strengthen. Because only a single year of assessment data was available, it is not possible to determine whether these results represent an improvement, a decline, or a stable baseline. A parent considering the school may want to ask about recent trends and any targeted math or science initiatives.
The school’s location in Alexandria places it in a mid-sized regional hub that serves as the retail, business, health care, and transportation center for a nine-parish region. The city’s economy is anchored by healthcare, government, and manufacturing, with major employers including two large hospitals, a VA medical center, Procter & Gamble, and Union Tank Car Company. The built environment is auto-oriented, and most daily errands require a car. The city’s population has been declining slightly in recent years, and development is steady but modest rather than booming. Housing values in the school’s zip code are well below both Louisiana and national benchmarks, and rents are modest relative to income, making the area relatively affordable for homeownership or renting compared to many parts of the country.
At the time of the available data, the Rapides Parish district did not show any major recent changes that would be relevant to a parent’s decision. The school itself did not have data available for chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing ratios, so those are areas a prospective family may want to ask the principal or visit to observe directly.
Rosenthal is the only school in its district that was included in the county-level comparison set, so it is not possible to position it against other Rapides Parish schools using comparative metrics. The school’s academic performance, as measured by state tests, is a straightforward piece of information: English language arts and social studies are relative bright spots, while math and science show more room for growth. A family for whom elementary math and science proficiency is a high priority may want to look into how the school supports those subjects before enrolling. For families seeking a large, economically diverse elementary school in the Alexandria area, Rosenthal is a standard public school option within the Rapides Parish system.
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