Union Parish High School, Farmerville LA

Original Research by School Decision on Union Parish High School

Union Parish High School serves students from sixth through twelfth grade in Farmerville, the parish seat of Union Parish, a small rural town organized around Lake D’Arbonne. The town is car-dependent, low-density, and has experienced population decline; a significant EF3 tornado struck the northern part of town in late 2022, causing damage and injuries. There are no major new housing developments apparent, and the local housing values sit below state and national benchmarks. The school is the parish’s regular public high school, operated by the Union Parish School District.

The student body is modest in size for a combined middle and high school. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Racially and ethnically, the student population is majority Black, with a notable White and Hispanic presence, and a small multiracial group. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.

Academically, the school’s performance on Louisiana’s state assessments is very low across all tested subjects. In mathematics, the proportion of students scoring at proficient or above is in the low single digits; in English language arts, it is about a tenth; in science and social studies, similarly low. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages these rates, places it in the bottom quartile relative to the two districts in Union Parish. The comparison set is narrow—just the two districts in the county—but the school’s position is clearly the lower of the two. Only one year of assessment data was available, so no trend line can be drawn. A parent should know that the academic results are a significant concern and may want to ask the school about specific interventions, instructional support, and how the school is addressing these outcomes.

The school has no charter or magnet status, and Title I information was not provided. No program offerings, staffing ratios, or course access data were available in the source material. The district brief turned up little in the way of recent strategic changes or initiatives; no parent-relevant district developments were found.

Farmerville’s civic anchors are tied to the lake: Lake D’Arbonne State Park, fishing tournaments, a country club, and an annual Watermelon Festival. The town is the seat of parish government, but no major employers were identified in available sources beyond the school district and likely local government and healthcare. The school’s setting is rural and parish-wide, with students drawn from the broader area rather than a compact walkable neighborhood.

For a family considering this school, the clear takeaway is a stark academic profile that demands further inquiry. The peer environment is diverse and economically mixed. The community context is small-town rural with a recreational lake and a recent disaster that reshaped parts of the town. The housing market is relatively affordable compared to state and national levels. Without graduation rate, discipline, attendance, or staffing data, a full picture of student support and school climate is incomplete. The school’s size and grade span mean it serves as both a middle and high school, which can offer continuity but also means younger adolescents are in the same building as older teens. Families who prioritize academic results may want to explore what individual schools in other districts achieve, while those already rooted in the parish will find this the only public high school option in the district.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

90-94%Cohort of 121 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

355 schools plotted. 10 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grades 3-84%

School 4% · District 14% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median

English language arts

Grades 3-810%

School 10% · District 21% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median

Science

Grades 3-85%

School 5% · District 10% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median

Social studies

Grades 3-87%

School 7% · District 9% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median

This schoolUnion Parish, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income2%Higher-income14%12 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income8%Higher-income19%11 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income4%Higher-income7%3 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income4%Higher-income7%3 pp gap