By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The Louisiana Department of Education this week released its District Performance Scores utilizing a new letter-grade system as opposed to the previous star rating system.

The St. John the Baptist Parish school district received a score or 89.5, missing a “C” rating by half a point.

Still, the school system did make gains from last year, raising its score by three points.

“Our district is making progress where it matters most, and that is in the classroom,” said Superintendent Courtney Millet.

The district did manage to raise its statewide ranking to 40th among the state’s 70 districts. St. John has spent many years ranked in the 50s and has raised its score by more than 27 points since 2001.

Also, St. John Parish boasts the highest rated school in the River Parishes in John L. Ory Communications Magnet School, which earned a score of 120, good enough for an “A-.”

The lowest rated regular school in the district is Fifth Ward Elementary with a score of 68.4 and a rating of “D.”

With a District Performance Score of 94.8, St. James Parish received a “C” from the DOE.

The district has raised its score by more than 18 points since 2003.

The district’s top rated school is Vacherie Elementary, which earned a score of 111.7 and a grade of “B+.”

Romeville Elementary, which is facing an uncertain future amidst encroaching industry in the Convent area, was the lowest rated school in the parish with a score of 63.2 and an “F” rating. The St. James Parish School Board recently voted to move pre-K and kindergarten students from Romeville to Paulina Elementary, which earned the district’s only other “B+” rating.

St. James is ranked 31st among Louisiana’s districts.

St. Charles Parish, traditionally the highest scoring district in the River Parishes, earned a District Performance Score of 106.7 and is ranked 12 among Louisiana’s school districts.

The district has maintained steady growth over the past several years, raising its score more than seven points since 2007. Its highest performing school is New Sarpy Elementary, which earned a score of 115.1. Luling Elementary, with a score of 90.7, is the district’s lowest-ranked school.