Central Louisiana News

Of the many ethnicities represented in Rapides Parish schools, white was the most prevalent ethnicity among Rapides Parish students in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Louisiana Department of Education.

Of the 22,031 students attending Rapides Parish schools, 48.3% were white. Black students were the second largest ethnicity making up 42.1% of Rapides Parish students.

In the previous school year, white was also the most common student ethnicity in Rapides Parish, representing 48.9% of the student body.

Cherokee Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, which included 49.7% Black students, 27.8% white students, 11.6% Hispanic students, 5.4% Asian students, 5.2% multiracial students, and 0.2% American Indian students.

Compared to the previous year, total enrollment in public schools in the county dropped by 0.4%, in the 2022-23 school year

In 2022, there was roughly one teacher for every 18 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. A higher student-to-teacher ratio has been found to negatively impact students' school performance.

The majority of Louisiana students were identified as white and Black, representing 48% and 37% of the state student body respectively during the 2021-22 academic year. Hispanic students made up 8.6% of the student body, and other ethnic minorities made up 5.6%.

Only 22% of Louisiana’s teachers are Black or Latino, compared to about 48% of the state's K–12 students who identify as either race.

School name	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Alexandria Senior High School	White	47%	1,398
Pineville High School	White	58.5%	1,302
J. I. Barron Senior Elementary School	White	62.8%	949
Buckeye High School	White	97.6%	924
Tioga High School	White	66.7%	882
Scott M. Brame Middle School	Black	56.6%	754
Oak Hill High School	White	91.2%	735
Peabody Magnet High School	Black	98.1%	693
Glenmora High School	White	60.4%	626
Northwood High School	White	54.3%	593
Alexandria Middle Magnet School	Black	88.9%	583
Pineville Junior High School	White	57.8%	580
Bolton High School	Black	77.4%	574
Cherokee Elementary School	Black	49.7%	553
Tioga Junior High School	White	69.4%	542
J. B. Nachman Elementary School	White	45.7%	521
Tioga Elementary School	White	63.2%	489
Peabody Montessori Elementary School	Black	46.5%	471
Forest Hill Junior High School	Hispanic	52.8%	462
Buckeye Elementary School	White	93.9%	456
Ruby-Wise Elementary School	White	88.6%	428
D. F. Huddle Elementary School	Black	90.9%	416
L. S. Rugg Elementary School	Black	93.7%	410
Mabel Brasher Montessori	Black	80.1%	408
Caroline Dormon Junior High School	White	90.9%	406
Lessie Moore Elementary School	Black	69.2%	402
Arthur F. Smith Middle Magnet School	Black	96.2%	400
Ball Elementary School	White	70.9%	385
Hayden R. Lawrence Upper Elementary School	White	96%	373
Rosenthal Montessori Elementary School	Black	76.7%	369
Paradise Elementary School	White	68.7%	367
Mary Goff Elementary School	White	82.6%	333
Poland Junior High School	White	71.8%	333
Phoenix Magnet Elementary School	White	61.1%	332
Acadian Elementary School	Black	95.9%	296
Horseshoe Drive Elementary New Vision Academy	Black	87.8%	296
Plainview High School	White	83%	271
Martin Park Elementary School	Black	93.7%	254
Rapides High School	White	45.9%	244
Pineville Elementary School	Black	69.7%	238
Alma Redwine Elementary School	Black	96.4%	223
Carter C. Raymond Junior High School	Black	74.7%	178
Jackson Head Start	Black	94.7%	132
McKeithen Head Start	Black	86.9%	130
Lee Head Start	Black	96.9%	96
Pinecrest Supports & Services Center	White	56.7%	90
the Pines Head Start	Black	89.2%	65
Rapides Training Academy	Black	46.6%	58
Renaissance Home for Youth	Black	81.8%	11