The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Southdown Elementary School
Southdown Elementary School is a regular public school in Houma, Louisiana, serving students from prekindergarten through sixth grade. It is part of the Terrebonne Parish district, which operates all public schools in the city and surrounding parish. As an elementary-only campus, the school does not have a graduation rate or any high school metrics to report, which is expected for its grade band.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-2025 school year, Southdown students scored at proficiency rates that were below half in every tested subject. In English language arts, just over a third of students met the state’s proficiency bar, while in math and social studies the share was below a fifth. Science results fell between those two, with about one in five students scoring proficient. Participation rates on the tests were at a very high level, so these results reflect nearly the entire tested student body. For a parent comparing options, the academic picture is one where the majority of students are performing below grade-level benchmarks, and while ELA shows relatively stronger numbers, the overall pattern points to a school where achieving proficiency is an outlier rather than the norm. There is no prior year of comparable data available for trend, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent movement up or down.
The student body is diverse in its racial and ethnic composition, with the largest share identifying as Black, followed by White, Hispanic, and two or more races. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with significant economic need. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, which is a gap a parent may want to follow up on with the school directly.
Housing in Houma tends to be more affordable than the national average, with rents rising moderately in recent months. The broader local economy is shaped by oil and gas, shipbuilding, and commercial fishing, and the city is the seat of Terrebonne Parish with a mix of historic downtown and car-dependent suburban areas. The area was directly hit by Hurricane Ida in 2021, and recovery efforts have been ongoing.
At the district level, several changes may affect families at Southdown. The Terrebonne Parish School Board approved an elementary rezoning plan effective the 2024-2025 school year, meant to balance class sizes amid declining enrollment. Families should confirm which elementary school their address feeds into each year, as boundaries shifted. The district also adopted a new science curriculum for elementary and middle schools starting the prior year, which may be in place at Southdown. More pressingly, the district is facing a budget deficit for the upcoming school year, and school board discussions have touched on possible closures, staff reductions, and program cuts. These financial pressures could mean that the range of services and class sizes at Southdown may change in the near future.
For a parent or resident, Southdown Elementary presents a picture of a school serving a high-poverty community with academic outcomes that are low relative to state standards, a situation that may be intertwined with the economic challenges of the area and the district’s financial constraints. The school’s small size and elementary-only mission mean that the focus is on foundational grades, but without data on special education or English learner supports, and with the district’s rezoning and budget uncertainty, families will want to engage directly with the school to understand the current environment and what lies ahead.
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