School Board: St. Mary tops state score in accountability ratings

From the St. Mary Parish school system:

Earlier today, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) released school and district
performance data for the 2023-2024 school year. Through the hard work and dedication of
our faculty and students, the St. Mary Parish School System district performance score of
82.6 (B) demonstrates growth of two points over the previous score of 80.6 and is higher
than the state average of 80.2.

Individual school growth can be noted across the St. Mary Parish School System. While
elementary and middle school scores are mainly based on LEAP 2025 scores, high school
scores are based on a combination of LEAP scores, ACT scores, graduation rates, and
graduation index.

Notable improvements were observed at 14 of the 21 schools, with Julia B. Maitland
Elementary and Wyandotte Elementary leading the way, showing impressive growth of 15
points and 11.2 points, respectively. Currently, 85.7% of the students in the St. Mary Parish
School System are attending schools rated “A”, “B”, or “C.” \

The district is home to four “A” schools, including Franklin High (98.2), Patterson High (95.8), Berwick High (95.1), and
West St. Mary High (93.1). Additionally, there are eleven “B” schools, such as Morgan City
High (88), Wyandotte Elementary (85.5), Bayou Vista Elementary (85.1), Berwick
Elementary (84.7), Centerville High (81.4), Berwick Junior High (80.9), B. Edward Boudreaux
Middle (79.5), Patterson Junior High (78.1), Raintree Elementary (77.8), Hattie A. Watts
Elementary (76.3), and J. S. Aucoin Elementary (75.3). The district also has three “C”
schools: Julia B. Maitland Elementary (70.1), Franklin Junior High (69.1), and M. E. Norman
Elementary (67.7).

A critical component of the LDOE accountability system reviews student progress in each
school. Essentially, what was the actual growth compared to the state expected growth of
the student population? All 21 school sites earned a “C” or better in student progress with
twelve “A” schools, eight “B” schools, and one “C” school.

Ten schools in the St. Mary Parish School System have earned the prestigious Top Gains
designation for showing exceptional growth on state assessments. To receive this honor,
schools must demonstrate growth that surpasses the state's pre-determined growth goals.
Congratulations to B. Edward Boudreaux Middle, Bayou Vista Elementary, Berwick
Elementary, Franklin Junior High, Hattie A. Watts Elementary, J.S. Aucoin Elementary, M.E.
Norman Elementary, Raintree Elementary, W.P. Foster Elementary, and Wyandotte
Elementary Schools.

Three schools, Franklin High, Patterson High, and West St. Mary High, have been
recognized as Opportunity Honorees for their outstanding performance in supporting
students from LDOE designated subgroups. This honor is awarded to schools that rank in
the top 10% for performance among Students with Disabilities, English Learners, or
Economically Disadvantaged students.

“We are deeply grateful to all stakeholders in St. Mary Parish,” said Superintendent
Fegenbush. “The collective effort and dedication to improving student outcomes are
clearly reflected in our gains. While a single letter grade or score doesn’t fully capture a
school’s success, we will use this data to provide targeted support to schools that showed
any decline. We recognize there is still work to be done. These scores, combined with the
research-based instructional strategies being implemented district-wide, will guide our
ongoing efforts to ensure sustained improvement.”