Central Louisiana News

There were 1,034 Black students enrolled in Vernon Parish schools in the 2022-23 school year, 4% less than the previous year, according to the Louisiana Department of Education.

Data showed that Vernon Parish welcomed 8,040 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, Black students comprised 12.9% of the student body to be the second most represented ethnicity in the parish.

Among the 18 schools in Vernon Parish, Leesville High School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 212 students.

The majority of Louisiana students were either white (48%) or Black (37%) in the 2021-22 school year.

In 2022, there was roughly one teacher for every 18 students compared to the national average of one teacher for 16 students. Teachers handling a higher number of students was found to have negative consequences for students’ school performance.

School name	% of Black students enrollment	Enrollment of Black Students
East Leesville Elementary School	36.5%	115
Vernon Middle School	30.8%	124
West Leesville Elementary School	30.4%	152
Leesville High School	28.4%	212
Leesville Junior High School	26.7%	101
North Polk Elementary School	19.9%	61
Parkway Elementary School	16.3%	83
Pickering High School	14.6%	54
Pickering Elementary School	12.2%	76
Rosepine Elementary School	3.8%	30
Rosepine High School	3.4%	18
Anacoco High School	0.6%	2
Evans High School	0.5%	2
Simpson High School	0.4%	1
Anacoco Elementary School	0.4%	2
Hicks High School	0.3%	1