Parish high schools earn top rankings in math, science

St. Charles Parish teachers celebrate the No. 1 ranking on the Algebra 1 assessment.

St. Charles Parish high school students ranked No. 1 in the state in Algebra 1 and ranked No. 3 statewide in Geometry and Biology.

On other assessments, including English 1, English II and U.S. history, parish students ranked in the state’s top 10.

The results are from the most recent Louisiana Educational Assessment Program assessments.

Regina McMillan, a spokesperson for the district, said the scores reflect purposeful planning, strong instruction and hard work on the part of teachers, school leaders and students.

“They demonstrate that the strategies we have put in place are working and making a difference,” McMillan said. “Most importantly, it means more of our students are demonstrating the knowledge and skills they need to be prepared for what comes next.”

At the high school level, LEAP assessments are given across seven courses: English I, English II, Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology, Civics, and U.S. History. The assessments measure how well students mastered the knowledge and skills expected in each course. A score of Mastery or above indicates that a student is on track for college and career readiness.

Across all high school LEAP assessments, the percentage of district students scoring Mastery or above increased from 45 percent in 2025 to 48 percent in 2026.

McMillan said both Hahnville and Destrehan students saw year-over-year growth in the percentage of students scoring Mastery or above. Destrehan High School scores increased by five percentage points and Hahnville High School scores increased by three percentage points.

District leaders tied the strong high school performance to several initiatives. To help students who scored below Basic on LEAP tests, the district placed two certified teachers in designated classes and provided students with additional instruction throughout the year.

McMillan said the district had data from previous years that suggested co-teaching would be effective for students who needed extra support.

“Based on that data, we decided to expand this approach,” she said. “Having an additional teacher in the classroom creates more opportunities for one-on-one and small-group instruction and allows teachers to provide more targeted support.”

Teachers also continue to operate Professional Learning Communities to pinpoint individual learning needs and develop specific learning targets.

“That process allows teachers to respond to what students need throughout the year rather than waiting until the end of a course to identify gaps,” McMillan said.