The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Math. The lowest is 40% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Norco Elementary School
Norco Elementary School is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the small industrial community of Norco, Louisiana, within the St. Charles Parish school district. The school draws its students from a place defined by heavy industry: a major Shell/Valero oil refinery is the dominant employer and shapes the town’s character. Norco has two distinct residential neighborhoods, including the historically African American Diamond area, and homeownership is common. The built environment is car-dependent, with most residents driving alone to work, and the town lacks a traditional downtown center. Norco’s population has been gradually declining, and the area has been shaped by its refinery history, including a notable explosion years ago and the impact of Hurricane Ida in 2021. The Bonnet Carré Spillway, a major flood control structure, lies nearby. No recent major district-wide changes were found in available sources.
Enrollment at Norco Elementary is moderate for an elementary school serving PK through fifth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students, and very small numbers of Asian and American Indian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic mix of the community. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available for this review.
Academically, the school participates in Louisiana’s LEAP 2025 assessments for grades three through five. On the most recent testing year, a strong majority of students scored at the proficient level or above in mathematics. In English language arts, a majority also reached that benchmark, though the share was slightly lower than in math. In science, proficiency fell below half of students, and in social studies, it was lower still, with less than half meeting the proficient threshold. These results represent a single year of data, so no trend over time can be assessed. The school’s participation rate on the tests was high, with nearly every student taking the assessments. For a school that only serves through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. No information was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios.
The wider academic context for comparison within St. Charles Parish is not meaningful here, because Norco Elementary is the only elementary school in the district for which this data is being viewed at the school level; the district itself is the sole public school system in the parish, so cross-district comparisons at the school level are not applicable.
Housing in the Norco area sits at a level roughly in line with the broader state benchmark for home values. Monthly mortgage costs, based on current interest rates, are estimated to be modest, and rents are also within a typical range relative to household income at the national level. The local economy is anchored by manufacturing, health care, and construction, and the unemployment rate has been steady.
For families considering Norco Elementary, the picture is of a midsized elementary school in a tight-knit, industrial river town. The school’s math and English language arts performance are solid strengths. The lower proficiency rates in science and social studies are areas a parent may want to explore with the school to understand how those subjects are taught and what support is available. The school serves its community well for the elementary years, after which students attend Destrehan High School in neighboring Destrehan.
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