(Stacker) – As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.5 million students enrolled in public PreK-12 schools in 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in Louisiana using 2023 rankings from Niche. Six schools from parishes in Northwest Louisiana made the grade.
Niche uses eight weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics and grades, but other factors include culture and diversity, health and safety, clubs and activities, resources, and surveys of parents, teachers and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
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#30. Lafayette High School
– District: Lafayette Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,822 (25:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#29. D’Arbonne Woods Charter School
– District: Farmerville
– Enrollment: 953 (17:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#28. Choudrant High School
– District: Lincoln Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 343 (15:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#27. Neville High School
– District: Monroe City Public Schools
– Enrollment: 987 (21:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#26. Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy
– District: Jefferson Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,183 (12:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#25. A.M. Barbe High School
– District: Calcasieu Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,810 (21:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#24. Benton High School
– District: Bossier Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,385 (19:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#23. Mandeville High School
– District: St. Tammany Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,929 (20:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#22. Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy
– District: Youngsville
– Enrollment: 1,417 (22:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#21. St. Amant High School
– District: Ascension Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,192 (19:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#20. New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
– City: New Orleans
– Enrollment: 241 (241:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#19. C.E. Byrd High School
– District: Caddo Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,655 (25:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#18. Airline High School
– District: Bossier Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,867 (20:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#17. Many High School
– District: Sabine Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 363 (19:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#16. Alexandria Senior High School
– District: Rapides Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,363 (19:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#15. Early College Academy
– District: Lafayette Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 278 (35:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-
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#14. Destrehan High School
– District: St. Charles Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,370 (16:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A
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#13. Avoyelles Public Charter School
– District: Mansura
– Enrollment: 669 (20:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A
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#12. Thomas Jefferson High School for Advanced Studies
– District: Jefferson Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 603 (27:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A
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#11. Dutchtown High School
– District: Ascension Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,434 (19:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A
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#10. Ruston High School
– District: Lincoln Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,301 (16:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A
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#9. University Laboratory School
– City: Baton Rouge
– Enrollment: 1,432 (17:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A
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#8. Zachary High School
– District: Zachary Community Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,633 (19:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A
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#7. Louisiana School for Math, Science & The Arts
– District: Natchitoches
– Enrollment: 327 (9:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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#6. Caddo Parish Magnet High School
– District: Caddo Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,066 (24:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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#5. Baton Rouge Magnet High School
– District: East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,607 (21:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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#4. Lusher Charter School
– City: New Orleans
– Enrollment: 1,883 (17:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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#3. Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy
– District: Jefferson Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 822 (28:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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#2. Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies
– District: Jefferson Parish Public Schools
– Enrollment: 863 (29:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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#1. Benjamin Franklin High School
– City: New Orleans
– Enrollment: 1,017 (20:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
