The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on John L. Ory Communications Magnet Elementary
John L. Ory Communications Magnet Elementary serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade in LaPlace, a suburban unincorporated community in St. John the Baptist Parish. The school sits about 25 miles west of New Orleans along the Mississippi River, in an area with a mix of residential subdivisions and heavy industry. The community grew rapidly from the 1950s through the 1990s as a commuter suburb, and its population has fluctuated in recent years. Major local employers include the Port of South Louisiana, Shell Chemical Company, and Denka. The community has been repeatedly affected by natural disasters, including severe damage from Hurricane Ida, and faces environmental concerns related to industrial emissions. None of the data provided describes the school building itself or its surrounding campus, so a parent should confirm those details directly.
The school enrolls a moderate number of students spanning a wide grade band. Its racial and ethnic composition includes a substantial share of Black students, a large share of White students, and smaller shares of Hispanic students and students of two or more races. Asian students make up a very small presence. Just over half the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of household economic need. Data on students with disabilities and students learning English was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school about its staffing and services for those populations.
On state assessments, reading proficiency is higher than math proficiency, while science and social studies show lower attainment. The school’s strongest result is in English language arts, with more than half of students scoring at the proficient level. Math proficiency is lower, with less than half of students meeting the bar. In science and social studies, proficiency rates are lower still. These are notable gaps that a parent may want to discuss with the school. Participation rates on all tests were very high. Trend data show only a single recent year of test results, so there is not enough information to judge whether performance is improving or declining over time.
Because the school serves kindergarten through eighth grade, it does not graduate students, so there is no graduation rate to report. The school does not offer high-school-level courses such as Advanced Placement or dual credit. There are no reported programs for career and technical education either. This is typical for an elementary and middle school.
The school is a regular public school operating as part of the St. John the Baptist Parish district. Its magnet status was not reported. Charter status does not apply. The school is not identified as a Title I school in the available data. The district brief turned up no recent changes or major initiatives to describe.
On housing, home values and rents in the area are lower than the national median. A typical monthly rent is well below what a typical mortgage payment would cost, and the area is more affordable relative to national benchmarks. This places the school in a community where housing costs are not a barrier for most families.
For a family considering this school, the main questions center on academic performance. The school has a clear area of relative strength in reading, but math and science proficiency are notably lower. The school serves a wide age range under one roof, from kindergarten through middle school, which can offer continuity but also means a wide developmental span. The community itself is car-oriented and highway-adjacent, with a strong industrial employment base and a history of weather-related disruptions. A parent may want to visit the school, ask about its approach to math and science instruction, and inquire about services for students with disabilities and English learners, since that information was not available in this report.
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