The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Downsville Community Charter School
Downsville Community Charter School is a regular public charter school serving students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade in the rural village of Downsville, Louisiana. The school is the primary educational institution for the village’s families, operating under the Union Parish school system but as its own charter entity. Because it covers the full K–12 spectrum, a student can enter in pre-K and remain through graduation without changing schools, a structure that some families value for its consistency.
The student body is overwhelmingly white, with modest representation of Hispanic students and very small numbers of Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. About two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that positions the school in the lower range of economic need relative to many public schools. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the available records, so a parent may want to follow up with the school directly about those populations.
On the most recent state assessments administered through Louisiana’s LEAP 2025 program, the school’s proficiency rates were below state averages across all tested subjects for grades three through eight. In English language arts, just over a third of students scored at the proficient level or above. In math, the rate was lower, around three in ten. Science and social studies proficiency were lower still, at roughly one-fifth and one-sixth respectively. Compared to other school districts in Union Parish, the school’s overall proficiency index landed above the midpoint in a two-district county, meaning it outperformed one but underperformed the other.
Multi-year trend data, while limited to a single year’s comparison, showed a pattern worth noting. The school reported two sets of figures within the same testing year, with the later set showing higher proficiency rates across all subjects than the earlier one. For example, the later English language arts figure was notably higher than the earlier one, and the later math figure was more than double the earlier one, though both remained below what many families would consider strong. The same pattern held in science and social studies. Without additional years of data or an explanation from the school, it is not possible to determine whether this reflects real improvement, a change in the student cohort tested, or a shift in assessment conditions.
The school has a full age range, with enrollment tapering in the upper grades, which is common for small rural schools where some students may transfer or complete requirements early. The senior class is the smallest grade level.
Downsville itself is a very small village straddling Lincoln and Union parishes, with a population that has been declining. The village is composed of several named communities, including a downtown area, and is predominantly residential and rural in character. No major new housing developments or growth initiatives were identified, and the local economy offers few employment anchors. The Mt. Ararat Baptist Church Community serves as one civic anchor, and a post office has long been present. Walkability is limited, as is typical for a low-density rural village. The median household income in Downsville is below the national median, and the poverty rate is elevated.
No information was available on the school’s course offerings, Advanced Placement or dual-enrollment programs, career and technical education pathways, or its staffing ratios. A parent interested in the breadth of academic options at the high school level—particularly in a charter that is the sole K–12 option in a small village—should request that information from the school directly. Similarly, data on discipline, chronic absenteeism, and the graduation rate was not reported. For a school that serves twelfth grade, the absence of a graduation rate is a meaningful gap. It may reflect a data-reporting issue, but a family considering this school for high school should ask the administration for their most recent graduation figures and postsecondary placement data.
For a family already living in or near Downsville, this school offers the convenience of a single campus from early childhood through high school in a setting where the student body is relatively homogeneous and economic need is moderate. The academic results are below state averages across the board, which is a soft spot, and the lack of high school outcome data makes it harder to assess the school’s effectiveness at preparing students for college or careers. A parent considering a move to the area specifically for this school would want to weigh the limited local housing market and population decline against the stability of a small charter where their child could stay through all thirteen grades.
See more original research from School Decision →