River Parish News

There were 3,620 Black students enrolled in St. John the Baptist Parish schools in the 2022-23 school year, 0.6% more than the previous year, according to the Louisiana Department of Education.

Data showed that St. John the Baptist Parish welcomed 4,980 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, Black students comprised 72.7% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the parish.

Among the 10 schools in St. John the Baptist Parish, East St. John High School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 906 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
West St. John Elementary School (K-7)	99.2%	237
West St. John High School	98.5%	193
Garyville/Mt. Airy Math & Science Magnet School.	80.2%	255
East St. John Preparatory Academy	79.2%	289
Fifth Ward Elementary School	76.7%	253
Laplace Elementary School	74.7%	545
East St. John High School	72.8%	906
Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School	71.1%	519
Emily C. Watkins Elementary School	55%	255
John L. Ory Communications Magnet Elementary School	46.3%	168