Public + private high schools, every state.
473
high schools (public + private)
359
public (109 districts)
114
private (NCES PSS)
44,305
public grade‑12 students (seniors, latest year)

LA public HS enrollment trend

Across the 178,439 students enrolled in LA brick-and-mortar public high schools in 2021, the state grew +1.1% by 2024 (180,406 students, +1,967 net). That's the demographic tide every individual school is fighting or riding.

Charter share of public HS enrollment (latest year): 9.6% (17,300 of 180,406 students). Virtual / nonclassroom-based schools excluded.

🗺️ State context · NAEP 2024

How does LA compare nationally?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test given the same way to students in every state — making it the benchmark for state-to-state academic comparison. Below, this state's 8th-grade averages and where it sits on the 50-state distribution.

8th-grade math
264
-9 vs national avg (273)
8th-grade reading
258
-2 vs national avg (260)
national avg LA Math → Reading → 260 290 245 275

Each dot is one state's 2024 NAEP 8th-grade averages. LA is highlighted in gold. Dashed lines mark national averages — being upper-right of both = above national in both subjects. Source: NAEP State Snapshot Reports. NAEP doesn't produce per-school scores — this is state-level context.

Where the students are

Top 10 cities by public-HS enrollment

Baton Rouge 27 HS 14,921
Lafayette 10 HS 7,848
New Orleans 16 HS 7,076
Lake Charles 6 HS 5,381
Monroe 7 HS 4,364
Mandeville 3 HS 4,292
Slidell 3 HS 4,263
Shreveport 6 HS 3,793
Bossier City 3 HS 3,788
Marrero 3 HS 3,274

School-size distribution

Public, classroom-based · grades 9–12, latest year

Fastest-growing high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy
Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy
255→818 +220.8%
Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School
Jefferson Parish
1,405→2,376 +69.1%
GEO Next Generation High School
GEO Next Generation High School
288→478 +66.0%
Young Audiences Charter High School
Jefferson Parish
425→643 +51.3%
Denham Springs High School
Livingston Parish
1,617→2,385 +47.5%
Peabody Magnet High School
Rapides Parish
754→1,071 +42.0%
Magnolia School of Excellence
Caddo Parish
226→320 +41.6%
Tara High School
East Baton Rouge Parish
726→1,016 +39.9%
Pathways in Education-Louisiana Inc.
Caddo Parish
226→307 +35.8%
Riverdale High School
Jefferson Parish
983→1,259 +28.1%
Fastest-shrinking high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Bolton Academy
Rapides Parish
546→124 -77.3%
Morris Jeff Community School
Morris Jeff Community School
931→470 -49.5%
Lakeview Jr./Sr. High School
Natchitoches Parish
267→183 -31.5%
McKinley Senior High School
East Baton Rouge Parish
926→669 -27.8%
JCFA
Jefferson Parish
176→127 -27.8%
O. Comeaux High School
Lafayette Parish
1,167→873 -25.2%
Union Parish High School
Union Parish
438→330 -24.7%
Zwolle High School
Sabine Parish
228→173 -24.1%
Plaquemine Senior High School
Iberville Parish
865→660 -23.7%
South Plaquemines High School
Plaquemines Parish
276→215 -22.1%

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