Rapides Parish

Rapides Parish operates a mid-sized urban school district in Louisiana serving 21,124 students across 49 schools. The district experienced a 3.2% enrollment decline from the prior year, with a student-teacher ratio of 15.5:1 across 1,359 teaching positions.

Academically, Rapides Parish demonstrates mixed performance relative to state benchmarks. Math proficiency stands at 35.4%, exceeding Louisiana's 30.3% average, while reading proficiency at 48.6% significantly outpaces the state average of 39.0%. The graduation rate of 87.9% surpasses the state average of 85.1%.

The student population reflects notable economic and demographic characteristics. Approximately 73.1% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged, while 2.7% are English learners. Racial composition is 47.4% White, 40.8% Black, 6.2% Hispanic, and 1.2% Asian.

The financial structure presents a substantial discrepancy from state patterns. Per-pupil spending of $1,597 represents a significant gap compared to Louisiana's average of $8,665. The total operating budget of $294.3 million derives from federal funds (16.2%), state allocations (46.0%), and local revenue (37.8%). This funding composition, combined with declining enrollment and the substantial economically disadvantaged student population, suggests the district operates within considerable resource constraints relative to both state averages and the scope of student needs it serves.