The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Parks Middle School
Parks Middle School is a regular public school serving grades four through eight in St. Martinville, Louisiana, part of the St. Martin Parish school district. It is the middle school for students in this small historic city and enrolls well over two hundred students. The student body is roughly evenly split between Black and White students, with a small Hispanic presence and very few students of Asian or multiracial backgrounds. Information on the share of students with disabilities or who are English learners was not available in the data. What is clear is that a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need in the community.
On the state’s LEAP 2025 assessments, the school’s proficiency rates were modest. In English language arts, just over a third of students scored at the proficient or above level. In math, about a quarter did. Social studies results were similar, with roughly a quarter of students meeting the mark. Science saw the lowest share, with one in five students reaching proficiency. These are cross-sectional results for a single school year; no prior-year data was available to show a trend. A parent may want to ask the school what support structures are in place for students who are not yet proficient.
Because Parks Middle School is in a parish with only one school district, there is no meaningful comparison against other districts in the county. The school stands on its own in its local context.
The school sits in St. Martinville, a city that functions as the parish seat and a heritage tourism destination on Bayou Teche. Its economy draws on agriculture—particularly crawfish and sugar cane—and on the cultural draw of Cajun and Acadian history. The city has experienced population decline in recent years. Housing values are well below state and national benchmarks, and the homeownership rate is high. Median rents are modest. For a family considering buying or renting, the area offers relatively low-cost options. Growth and development appear limited; residents report low turnover, with many living in the same house over a long period.
The district itself did not show any recent parent-relevant changes in publicly available sources, so there is no new program or facility shift to report. The school operates as a straightforward neighborhood middle school within a stable, small-district system.
Overall, Parks Middle School serves a community with high economic need and delivers academic results that fall below state averages across all tested subjects. The peer environment reflects the local demographics: a roughly equal mix of Black and White students, with a small Hispanic minority. The housing market is affordable but the town is slowly declining in population. Families who prioritize high test scores may find these numbers give them reason to investigate further. For families who are rooted in or drawn to this historic, culturally rich small city, this is the local middle school option, and understanding the support it provides for students who are not yet at proficiency would be a natural next step.
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