Caddo Schools sets new records for academic achievement

Makenzie Boucher, Shreveport Times
·4 min read

Caddo Parish Schools is setting new records with student achievement, 15 schools increased their letter grade for year-over-year scores.

"Big dreams do start here in Caddo, and Caddo Schools is doing the work to make sure each student enrolled in our school system is provided the tools to excel and fulfill their dreams," said Marquel Sennet, Director of Communications and Marketing of Caddo Schools.

According to Caddo Parish Schools, Caddo is seeing the single largest year of growth across schools, subjects and grade levels.

On Monday morning, the Louisiana Department of Education released district performances scores showing that Caddo grew by 2.3 points. This growth is the largest increase since 2019.

"We often tell the story that as we went into the pandemic, we were bracing for excellence and the pandemic truly did not give us an opportunity to show what our children were truly prepared to do," said Dr. T. Lamar Goree, Superintendent of Caddo Schools. "What I will tell you today though, is that today's scores show that we are bouncing back and bouncing back in a mighty way."

Caddo sets new records in schools increasing student achievement, growing by a letter grade, Nov. 13, 2023.
Caddo sets new records in schools increasing student achievement, growing by a letter grade, Nov. 13, 2023.

Caddo Schools also saw 49 schools increase their school performance scores and seven schools even increased by double-digits. Keith Burton, Chief Academic Officer of Caddo Schools said, "anytime that you have 15 schools advancing their letter grade, and 49 schools, enhancing their performance. That's not just a sporadic growth, that's district wide uplift."

He continued by saying, "we've seen consistent progress across all grade levels, across all types of subjects and across all types of schools. And it's a testament to really not only hard work, but targeted work."

According to Caddo Schools, Caddo campuses also garnered statewide recognition with Caddo Middle Magnet securing the highest-scoring school of any K-8 campus in Louisiana and South Highlands Elementary Magnet ranking fourth.

Caddo Parish Magnet High earned its spot as the fourth highest-scoring high school.

Judson Fundamental Elementary was highlighted as part of the state’s top 10 most improved K-8 schools and Pathways in Education also was recognized among Louisiana’s most improved alternative schools.

"We are very proud of the gains that we received this year and are looking forward to future gains," said Dr. Terence Vinson, President of Caddo School Board.

More: Caddo Middle Magnet named a National Blue Ribbon School

Check out the schools that received recognition:

Schools Increasing Performance by a Letter Grade

  • Blanchard Elementary

  • Caddo Heights

  • Cherokee Park Elementary

  • Donnie Bickham Middle

  • J.S. Clark Elementary

  • Judson Fundamental Elementary

  • Midway Elementary

  • North Highlands Elementary

  • Queensborough Elementary

  • Ridgewood Middle

  • Summer Grove Elementary

  • Summerfield Elementary

  • Turner Elementary/Middle

  • Pathways in Education

  • Ombudsman

Schools With Double-Digit Gains

  • Blanchard Elementary

  • J.S. Clark Elementary

  • Judson Fundamental Elementary

  • North Highlands Elementary

  • Pathways in Education

  • AMI Kids

  • Ombudsman

LDOE Designated Opportunity Honorees

  • Caddo Magnet High

  • Caddo Middle Magnet

  • Claiborne Fundamental Elementary

  • Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary

  • Fairfield Magnet

  • Herndon Magnet

  • South Highlands Elementary Magnet

Read: Caddo Middle Magnet named a National Blue Ribbon School

Schools Increasing SPS

  • A.C. Steere Elementary

  • Atkins Elementary

  • Blanchard Elementary

  • Broadmoor STEM

  • C.E. Byrd High

  • Caddo Heights Elementary

  • Caddo Middle Career & Technology

  • Caddo Magnet High

  • Caddo Middle Magnet

  • Caddo Virtual Academy

  • Cherokee Park Elementary

  • Claiborne Fundamental Elementary

  • Creswell Elementary

  • Donnie Bickham Middle

  • Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary

  • Eighty-First Street ECE

  • Fair Park Middle

  • Fairfield Magnet

  • Forest Hill Elementary

  • Herndon Magnet

  • Huntington High

  • J.S. Clark Elementary

  • Judson Fundamental Elementary

  • Keithville Elementary/Middle

  • Magnolia School of Excellence

  • Midway Professional Development Center

  • Mooringsport Elementary

  • North Caddo Elementary/Middle

  • North Caddo High

  • North Highlands Elementary

  • Northside Elementary

  • Pine Grove Elementary

  • Queensborough Elementary

  • Ridgewood Middle

  • Riverside Elementary

  • Shreve Island Elementary

  • South Highlands Elementary Magnet

  • Southern Hills Elementary

  • Summer Grove Elementary

  • Summerfield Elementary

  • Sunset Acres Elementary

  • Turner Elementary/Middle

  • University Elementary

  • Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle

  • Werner Park Elementary

  • Westwood Elementary

  • Youree Drive Middle

  • AMI Kids

  • Ombudsman

LDOE Designated Top Gains Schools

  • A.C. Steere Elementary

  • C.E. Byrd High

  • Caddo Magnet High

  • Caddo Middle Magnet

  • Claiborne Fundamental Elementary

  • Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary

  • Eighty-First Street ECE

  • Fairfield Magnet

  • Forest Hill Elementary

  • Herndon Magnet

  • Huntington High

  • Judson Fundamental Elementary

  • North Highlands Elementary

  • Riverside Elementary

  • Shreve Island Elementary

  • South Highlands Elementary Magnet

  • Southern Hills Elementary

  • University Elementary

  • Westwood Elementary

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Caddo Schools is setting new records with year-over-year scores